Correspondence
of the Oregon Superintendency1868Southern
Oregon-related correspondence with the Oregon Superintendency for
Indian Affairs.

Office Siletz Agency
Oregon Jan. 1st 1868

Sir:
I have the honor to submit this, my
report of the affairs of this agency for the month of December 1867.
The Indians under my charge are
generally quiet, and
nothing has occurred in the past month to make any material change in
their relations to the whites, that being of the most friendly
character.

The Hon.
The Commissioner of Indian Affairs
Dear Sir
I take the
liberty of sending you the few lines attached, copied from the Congressional Globe, and the copy of a letter from Judge Nelson, late Chief Justice in Oregon.

Mr. Chairman: I regret that my friend from
Kentucky should feel called upon to oppose this bill. If there ever was
a just private claim before Congress, then this is one. Let me state
the facts in this case. In 1850, Anson Dart, then, as now, a citizen of
the state of Wisconsin, was appointed a Superintendent of Indian
Affairs for Oregon; previous to that time he had received an
appointment to the position of charge d'affaires to the Argentine
Confederation. There is a letter on file from Mr. Clayton, then
Secretary of State, stating that his appointment was agreed upon to
that office, with a salary of $4,500 per annum, and an outfit of like
amount. About that time this Superintendency of Indian Affairs for
Oregon was created, and it was desirable to have some gentleman to fill
that place who was acquainted with Indian affairs, some gentleman who
had experience among the Indians. Dr. Dart was solicited to accept the
office of Superintendent and forgo his appointment to the Argentine
Confederation. The reasons for this was his known fitness fur the
appointment by reason of his high character and familiarity with all
matters pertaining to the Indians. A brother-in-law of George Catlin,
the celebrated painter, and in company with him he had visited nearly
all the Indian tribes from the frontiers of Mexico to the Red River of
the North, and had acquired a familiarity with the language and manners
of the red men, such as few other persons possessed.
It is not
denied that this gentleman discharged his duties well and faithfully.
The gentleman from Kentucky admits that fact. While he was in Oregon we
had no difficulty with the Indians upon that coast; no debt of millions
of dollars against the government was run up by Indian wars there--on
the contrary, the total expenses of the Department on the Pacific Coast
for three years of his Superintendency was only $24,000 a year. I
believe Senator Bell was right when he declared in the Senate that we
ought not only to pass this bill, but in addition to give him a
handsome testimonial for those services.Mr. Edwards said:
Mr. Chairman: It was fully proved that he was a faithful officer; that
he managed the affairs of the Superintendency with great economy; that
the whole expenditures of his Superintendency, including authorized
presents and supplies to the Indians, did not exceed $24,000 a
year*--that peace was preserved during his entire administration,
between the Indian tribes and the white population around them--that he
negotiated thirteen Indian treaties, and was the disbursing agent for
six Indian agents, and that all the money placed at his disposal had
been fully accounted for. Surely then it is not too much to ask in
these days of defalcation and dereliction of duty that a faithful
public officer should receive at least justice on his application to
this house.

In the Senate of the United States,Mr. Doolittle made the following report, April 16, 1858:

That Mr. Dart was appointed such Superintendent in the year A.D. 1850,
and served in that capacity for the term of nearly three years; that
during the period of his service he had under his superintendence the
Indian affairs of all the country now included within the Territories
of Oregon and Washington; that he was a faithful officer and discharged
his duties in a manner highly satisfactory to the government, and that
during the whole of his Superintendency peace and quiet was maintained
amongst all the Indian tribes under his care. * * *

A letter from Judge.Nelson, late U.S. Chief Justice in Oregon:

I knew Dr. Dart well, if not intimately, while he was in Oregon filling
the place of Superintendent of Indian Affairs, while Oregon was yet a
Territory. He was appointed to that station by Gen. Taylor, and filled
it until Gen. Pierce entered upon the administration of the government.
Dr. Dart was a faithful officer, attentive to his duties, pacific in
his spirit, and was much respected and beloved by the Indians under his
charge. There was no trouble with the Indians while he was the
Superintendent--and had he continued such it is my belief that much
bloodshed would have been spared and much treasure saved. I believe him
to be an intelligent, discreet and reliable gentleman, and well
qualified to fill the most important post connected with Indian affairs.

Signed, THOS. NELSON.

*This includes all the salaries and the cost of agency houses and traveling expenses, and in short, everything.

NARA
Series M234 Letters
Received by
the Office of Indian Affairs 1824-81, Reel
615 Oregon Superintendency, 1866-1869, frames 637-640.

Canyonville
January 18th 1868

To the Indian Agent of Oregon
Sir There is an Indian boy at S. B.
Briggs' in this
precinct--he is doing a great deal of mischief in the way [of] killing
stock and is in a habit of carrying a gun around with him. Is there no
law to remove him to the reservation? If so, will you have it attended
to? Please let me know.

Sir
Some time since I addressed a letter to the Commissioner of Indian
Affairs asking for an adjustment of the accounts of B. R. Biddle, late
Indian agent in Oregon, which letter I suppose was referred to your
office. I beg to invite your early attention to the matter as it has been
pending for a long time & Mr. Biddle claims that there is something
due him for salary.

Respectfully returned. In July 1866 upon a partial settlement, Mr.
Biddle appeared to be indebted to the govt. $255.70. On the 23rd of
Oct. 1867 papers were received at this office from him, which seemed to
require an administrative examination, and they were referred to the
Commr. of Indian Affairs, since which they have not been returned.

E. B. French

United States Senate Chamber Washington Feby. 8th 1868

Sir
Allow me to call your attention to the enclosed letter & endorsement thereon.
May I ask to have the accounts therein referred to adjustment at an early day & much oblige

Yours truly Geo. H. Williams

Col. Taylor
Com. Indian Affairs
Washington
D.C.

NARA
Series M234 Letters
Received by
the Office of Indian Affairs 1824-81, Reel
615 Oregon Superintendency, 1866-1869, frames 709-714.

Office
Klamath Agency Oregon. January
31st 1868.

Sir,
I have the honor to report as follows
for the
present month. The weather during the whole month has been extremely
cold, and as a consequence the lake has been hard-frozen and most of
the country snow-covered.
The Indians in their warm winter
quarters have been
comfortable, but as they provided little hay for their horses they
apprehend the loss of some of them if the winter is long continued.
No difficulties of consequence have
arisen. Health generally prevails.
There is a rumor prevalent that a number
of Snakes
(hostile) are on the head of Sprague River. If so, they no doubt
contemplate mischief. The military is on the alert.
All the time that the weather would
permit the
employees have been engaged in rail-making &c., and some of
them
continually in looking after the animals, which are now on Lost River
and doing well.

Respectfully Your obt.
servant
L. Applegate
U.S.
Indian Sub-Agent

Hon.
J. W. Perit Huntington
Supt.
Indian Affairs
in Oregon.NARA Series M2, Microcopy
of Records of the
Oregon Superintendency of Indian Affairs 1848-1873, Reel 24; Letters
Received, 1867-1868, no number.

Alsea
Indian Sub-Agency Coast
Reservation Oregon
January 31st 1868

Dear Sir,
I have the honor to submit my monthly
report for the
month of January 1868 as to the condition of the Indians under my
charge.
The number of tribes under my charge is
four (viz.)
the Coos, Umpqua, Siuslaw and Alseas. They number in all about five
hundred and twenty-five.
They are all peaceable and quiet and in
a prosperous
condition. They have a plenty of food to subsist on and clothing to
make them comfortable. No deaths nor births have taken place in either
of the tribes during the month. They are all apparently contented and
doing well on the reservation and are willing and at all times ready to
perform such duties as is required of them.
They have a large surplus of potatoes,
more than they can consume during the growing of [the] next crop.

All
of which is respectfully submitted By your
obdt. servt.
G. W. Collins
U.S.
Indn. Sub-Agent

Sir,
I would respectfully report that I have
this day
appointed Henry Duncan of Jackson County, Oregon as carpenter on the
Klamath Reservation. Mr. Duncan is a moral, agreeable, energetic and
industrious man and I think will make a very efficient employee.

Sir
I have the honor to submit this, my
report of the
affairs of this agency for the month of January 1868. The Indians under
my charge remain quiet and peaceable.
Their sanitary condition I think will
compare favorably with any previous month.
Our school is in a very prosperous
condition, having
an attendance of from eighteen to twenty scholars, all of whom seem to
be advancing rapidly.

Hon. J. W. P. Huntington,
Dear Sir,
Please
inform me whether your
department has established a reservation of lands in the region of
Klamath Lake, for the use of the Indians, and if so what townships and
fractions of townships are included therein.
I am preparing a set of maps of the
state,
university and school lands in the Umpqua Land District. In the records
of the land office here I find no mention of such a reservation, nor is
it mentioned either on the maps drawn at the Surveyor Gen.'s office, or
on those accompanying the report of the Commissioners of the Gen. Land
Office.

Mr. Huntington
Sir
I wish to
know what to do with an
old blind squaw and child that I have supported now upwards of three
years. She belongs to the North Umpqua tribe of Indians. She is very
old and helpless, and there are none of the tribe willing to help her.
She is an object of charity. Please let me know what can be done
towards supporting her. If I do not feed her she is bound to starve.

Hon. N. G. Taylor Commissioner
Dear Sir:
I enclose a letter of Hon. D. M.
Risdon about claim of Dr. A. N. Foley for medical services &c.
Please write me all the particulars and refer the claim to some Indian
agent or Superintendent of Oregon for report if the claim is not in a
situation to be paid.

Yours very respectfully B. F. Dowell

Eugene City Dec. 19, 1867

B. F. Dowell Esq.
Dear Sir
I recd. your phiz & circular
stating that you would remain in Washington during the present Congress
& would attend to any matters of claims. Now I have some old
matters and some new & so far as old matters are concerned fees
must be conditional & [I] am satisfied that your charges if
successful will be reasonable. The first is a matter of claim of A. N.
Foley for medical service rendered a wounded Indian at Coos Bay or
Empire City, I think at the time of the removal of Coquille Indians
(the matter is now much out of mind & no date present), I think by
Capt. Vinearson or Rinearson by a sub and also for considerable amt. of
provision furnished for which he paid to the persons whose testimony
will undoubtedly be found with the claim. The claim & testimony was
sent to & recd. by Rector when Supt. & he wrote that same had
been forwarded to [the] Department. We waited long for ans. &
received nothing. I then wrote to Huntington when first appointed or
soon after & he sent me a copy of a letter written by Tom McF.
Patton, who attended to business in his absence, which was unique for
an official document, but you know what a wag Tom Patton is. One remark
I recollect that was that from amt. provision furnished the Indian
could not have been wounded in stomach. Now the fact was several other
Indians & squaws remained to take care of him & you will
observe the fact that the testimony is from the most eminent &
reliable persons of that section at the time of the service. Patton
told me that he wrote the letter & brought out copy. Rector was in
Portland but I think he said he read it to Rector on his return. There
was also a statement that he had seen this Rinearson & he did not
recollect of having employed Foley. Now the Indian agent caused these
Indians to be removed & employed the person which the claim shows
employed the Dr. & the charge is as low as present charges for
doctoring white men now. The Dr. has ever since the application been a
resident practicing physician of this place. We postponed further
prosecution for the purpose of obtaining the testimony of Rinearson
& was then in the mountain regions between here & the States.
We think we could then have brought matters to recollection although
the testimony sent would be sufficient for all purposes in this
country, but red tape required that he should have been employed by
regular agent, but then on the other hand red tape should have required
a regular agent to have removed these Indians. I will forward this
& as soon as practicable look up memoranda. I now write wholly from
memory. Justice requires that he should have compensation.

D. M. Risdon

NARA
Series M234 Letters
Received by
the Office of Indian Affairs 1824-81, Reel
615
Oregon Superintendency, 1866-1869, frames 642-645. "Phiz" is short for
"physiognomy"--a reference to the portrait of Dowell on his letterhead.

[Telegram]

Portland
Feb. 24 1868 Rec'd.
Salem Feb. 24 1868 5-45 p.m.

To J. W. P. Huntington Supt. Ind. Affairs
Arrested Jenny. Found one (1) old woman
fairly young woman Sally and little girl Penny. And two
men Bill & Bob. All running away from Siletz Reservation. I
arrested all. Send orders.

Sir
For this month I would respectfully
report as
follows. The Indians have been quiet and peaceable and apparently very
well contented during the month. The lake being frozen and the
mountains snow-covered, they have not been able to get fish or game,
but issues of flour have been made to them as their wants demanded.
The employees have been able to do
little else than
care for the stock during the month. They have been able to make some
rails and get out some building timber, however.
The animals are on Lost River, where the
snow has
not covered the grass this winter, and are doing well. No Snakes are
now known to be lurking around the reservation, and the report of some
being on the head of Sprague River is thought untrue.

Respectfully Your obt.
servant
L. Applegate
U.S.
Indian Sub-Agent

Hon.
J. W. Perit Huntington
Supt.
Indian Affairs
in Oregon.NARA Series M2, Microcopy
of Records of the
Oregon Superintendency of Indian Affairs 1848-1873, Reel 24; Letters
Received, 1867-1868, no number..

Alsea
Indn. Sub-Agency Coast
Reservation Oregon
February 29th 1868.

Dear Sir,
I have the honor to submit my monthly
report for the
month of February 1868 as to the Indians under my charge. I have under
my charge four tribes (viz.) the Coos, Umpqua, Siuslaw and Alseas. They
number in all about five hundred and twenty-five. They are all
peaceable and quiet, and their health and condition is very good. They
have an abundance of food to subsist on and clothing sufficient to make
them comfortable, and now appear very well contented. The most of them
are now employed making rails to rebuild and repair the fences around
their farms.
During the month there has been one
birth in the
Umpqua and two in the Alsea tribe. No deaths in either of the four
tribes during the month has taken place.

Sir,
I have the honor to submit this, my
report of the
affairs of this agency for the month of February 1868. There has been
no material change upon the agency since my last monthly report.
The Indians under my charge still remain
quiet, with
some slight exceptions. This, however, is confined to differences among
themselves, which is the result of their idleness in the winter season.
Their sanitary condition is quite
favorable, there being but little sickness among them.
The employees of this agency are men of
good moral
habits and seem to take great interest in the improvement of the
Indians. The Indian school is progressing entirely satisfactorily, in
fact much more so than formerly.

Hon. J. W. Perit Huntington
Supt. of Indn. Affairs Oregon
Dear Sir:
I have the honor to
enclose herewith receipts for horse and crosscut saw, which I have
signed.
I will here state that I have engaged a
blacksmith
for one month who will commence work next Monday, March 9th at one
hundred dollars per month. Also one farmer for one and a half or two
months at sixty dollars per month.
At this date all is quiet and peaceable
on this agency.
All of which is most respectfully
submitted.

J. W. Perit Huntington Esq.
Supt. Ind. Affairs Oregon
Salem
Dear Sir
Last Sept we contracted with Mr. Applegate, Sub-Agent, for 2000 # flour
at 9 cts per #, which we have delivered. We expected the money, but Mr.
Applegate informed us lately that there are no funds on hand to pay for
the same. We then asked him to issue to us vouchers for the flour, so
we have something to show, or in case we want to dispose of the
vouchers to realize the money for them. Mr. Applegate said the Indian
Department does not issue vouchers. We think different, therefore [we]
address these few lines to you inquiring whether that is the fact; if
not, please either send us the vouchers or direct Mr. Applegate to
issue vouchers to us. At present we have only the receipt that the 2000
# flour has been delivered and nothing else.

To the Hon.
The Commissioner Indian Affairs
Washington City D.C.
Sir
I have sought information regarding a tract or
district of country set aside as a "temporary Indian reservation" about
the year 1855, from persons in this state who I thought should know the
precise state that district represented in the territorial lands of the
government, but so far I have been unable to elicit the least reliable
knowledge on the subject. Now I propose, if you will permit, to seek
the desired information through your department, but will first give
what I know of the tract & how it came identified as a "special Indian" reservation.
During the Indian hostilities of 1855 in this state,
at which time Joel Palmer was acting Sup. Ind. Affairs, he, at his own
suggestion, obtained from the Department at Washington permission to
collect all the tribes of Indians in the western part of Oregon and temporarily locate them upon a reservation on the Pacific Coast, until such time as a "permanent" reservation
should be located. The reservation selected was one thus described,
"beginning at a point three tiers of townships (or 18 miles) south of
where the meridian
or baseline (of Oregon) falls into the Pacific Coast, thence south
along the coast to the mouth of the 'Siuslaw,' thence east to the
summit of the Coast Range of mountains, thence north along the S.
mountain to a point due east from the place of beginning," &c.
&c. The Indians were collected & a reservation was purchased of
the white settlers at a place called "Grand Ronde" on the headwaters of
[the] south branch of the Yamhill River, upon which some of the
Calapooia, Molallas & Umpquas were "permanently located,
and for the" Port Orford, Chetco, Rogue River & others a district
was selected on the Siletz River, where farms were opened, buildings
erected &c. This permanent location
is embraced in the specially reserved tract, but lies south of the
northern boundary near 35 miles, leaving this intervening tract
unrepresented by them for any purpose, & through this tract flows
the Salmon (or Neachesna) & the Nestucca rivers, which afford good
grazing & farming lands, & which would soon be put into
profitable use were it known that the settler would not be disturbed by
the government. And it is [on] this fact that I solicit information,
& if you feel it in your position to satisfy me, I should be very
much obliged. Did a settlement upon this waste country in the least
affect or disturb the rights or privileges of the Indians, I should not
advocate its settlement by the whites. But as it does not, I think, for
the good of the country, & for the bettering of the condition of
many persons who want homes, that it should be opened for settlement.
Hope you may find it in your power to satisfy my information--I remain

Your obt. svt. Courtney M. Walker

P.S. Refer you to Hon. Senator Williams of Oregon & Hon. Mr. Mallory, of House of Representatives--

C.M.W.

NARA
Series M234 Letters
Received by
the Office of Indian Affairs 1824-81, Reel
615 Oregon Superintendency, 1866-1869, frames 720-723.

Office
Klamath Agency, Oregon, March 31st
1868.

Hon.
J. W. Perit Huntington
Supt.
Indian Affairs
in Oregon
Sir,
You will observe that the purchases of
articles during the 1st quarter 1868 have not been conducted according
to the routine prescribed by the Act of March 2nd 1862, the exigencies
of the service not admitting of the requisite delays. Transportation
being very uncertain in the winter season over the Cascade Mountains, I
have thought well to make these necessary purchases whenever an
opportunity offered to send a small amount of freight to the agency.
Hoping this explanation may prove satisfactory, I subscribe myself

Very
respectfully Your obt.
servant
L. Applegate
U.S.
Indian Sub-Agent

Sir,
I have the honor to submit the following
report for the present month.
Few things of special consequence have
transpired. The Indians have been quiet and peaceable.
Fish have at length commenced running in
the streams
on the reservation, hence the necessity no longer exists of issuing
subsistence in large quantities.
On the 1st inst. Dave Hill was appointed
interpreter under the Snake Treaty.
Operations can be resumed in a few days,
as the long severe winter is broken.
The animals of the Department have
passed through the winter safely and are now in moderately good order.

Very
respectfully Your obt.
servant
L. Applegate
U.S.
Indian Sub-Agent

Hon.
J. W. Perit Huntington
Supt.
Indian Affairs
in Oregon.NARA Series M2, Microcopy
of Records of the
Oregon Superintendency of Indian Affairs 1848-1873, Reel 24; Letters
Received, 1867-1868, no number.

Alsea
Indn. Sub-Agency March 31st
1868

Dear Sir:--
I have the honor to submit my monthly
report for the
month of March 1868 as to the conditions of the Indians under my charge.
There are four tribes under my charge,
viz.--the
Coos, Umpqua, Siuslaw and Alsea tribes. They are all in a prosperous
condition and have an abundance of food to subsist upon. Their general
health is good, although very little sickness has occurred among the
Umpquas and one death.
They are all peaceable and quiet and are
ready and
willing at all times to perform such duties as are required of them on
the farm when called upon by the farmer.
They have got their spring wheat and
oats all sowed,
and most of their potatoes planted. Aside from this they have made
several thousand rails to rebuild their fences around their farms.

All
of which is respectfully submitted By your
obdt. servt.
[G. W. Collins]
U.S.
Indn. Sub-Agent

J. W. P. Huntington
Superintendent of
Indian
Affairs
Salem Oregon
Dear Sir
There is an Indian here from the
"Yaquina" for the purpose of having this letter written to you. He is
called "Tyee Jim" and claims to be chief of a small band of Coos Bay
Indians--about fifteen families all told. I have known this Jim for the
past ten or twelve years as a peaceable and quiet Indian. He informs me
that he can farm and raise all the produce that his tribe require for
their support, without any aid from the government. He is very desirous
to do so.
He wishes the privilege of living with
his tribe on a small creek about midway between Umpqua and Coos Bay
called Ten Mile Creek. He says there is sufficient land suitable for
the support of himself and people a short distance up the creek from
the coast.
I think the above-mentioned location
will place the Indians between ten and fifteen miles from any white
person and on a stream that abounds in fish. Jim has a long string of
grievances--neglect, want of food &c.--which I shall pass and
close by desiring you if you can, consistent with duty, permit this
Indian with the few of his tribe to locate on Ten Mile Creek as they
wish to do. I think there would be little if any objection by the
inhabitants of this region of country to such a course as desired.
While I disclaim any intention of
annoying your office, I could see no other escape from incessant
importunities than to write this letter.

Sir:
In transmitting the bond and license of George
Nurse,
trader, you omitted to send the application, which should always
accompany the other papers. You also omitted to send your own affidavit
that you are neither directly nor indirectly interested with the said
Nurse and do not expect to derive any profit from his trade under the
license. This is required of you by law. The omissions must be supplied
before the papers can go to Washington, and you are therefore directed
to transmit them by mail forthwith.

Hon. Charles Mix Acting Commissioner
Dear Sir:
In 1856, Robt. Metcalfe, Indian
agent of Oregon, hired a pack train of James Clugage to transport
supplies for the Indian reservation near the mouth of Umpqua River. I
think the price was $3 or $4 per day. I have a claim of the same nature
before the 3rd Auditor asking $3 per day for the use of each animal
which were employed at the same time transporting supplies for the
Oregon volunteers. I wish to get a certificate from your office of the
price paid by Mr. Metcalfe as corroborating evidence to use in the 3rd
Auditor's office in behalf of my claim. It is possible Mr. Metcalfe
hired Mr. Clugage's train early in the winter of 1855, or it may have
been as late as the winter of 1856.
Three and four dollars a day was very common at the
time all over the country, and three dollars was the lowest cash price,
yet mine has been suspended since 1861.
Please give me the particulars to assist me in collecting a just debt and much oblige

Yours very respectfully B. F. Dowell 373 Penna. Ave.

NARA
Series M234 Letters
Received by
the Office of Indian Affairs 1824-81, Reel
615 Oregon Superintendency, 1866-1869, frames 646-648.

Office
Klamath Agency Oregon
April 12th 1868.

Sir,
I would respectfully ask the appointment
or the privilege of appointing school teachers soon. The department of
manual labor could be taught at once. In advance of the erection of
commodious buildings as school houses, the teachers can be instructing
the most willing of the scholars in one of the other buildings, laying
a foundation for a knowledge of the English language, teaching them to
realize the importance of study and giving them instruction in manual
labor in the field. I am firmly impressed with the idea that this
course would be promotive of the designs of the government.

Very
respectfully Your obt.
servant
[L. Applegate]
U.S. Indian Sub-Agent

Sir
I have to inform you that in order to
get in the spring crops at this agency, it is necessary to have
immediately ten yoke of work oxen and a wagon. The wagons now in use
here are very old, much worn, and unfit for heavy
hauling, and there are not enough of them for the wants of the Indians.
The oxen now on hand are very old, much impoverished by the late severe
winter, and are not able to do half the work which younger and more
efficient ones can do. We also very much need a pair of work horses and
harness, if the funds of the Department will warrant, but the need for
them is not so imperative as for the oxen and wagon. I respectfully
request that you make arrangements to provide me with the articles
named, or furnish me with funds that I may make the purchases myself.

To the Com. of Indian Affairs
Sir
At the request of Mr. N. Clough I
desire to make a statement in relation to his claim now on file in the
Indian office for fruit trees sold and delivered to me for the benefit
of the Indians while I was Supt. of Indian Affairs in Oregon.
Sometime in the third quarter of 1861 Senator
Nesmith called at my office and stated that he while Supt. over the
Indians then under my charge had promised to furnish them with fruit
trees on each of the reserves, and that he had made a verbal contract
with Mr. N. Clough to graft and prepare the trees for that purpose, but
that before he could carry out these promises to the Indians he was
removed from office and that his immediate successor had failed to
carry out his plans and promises to the Indians. Although the trees had
been prepared by Mr. Clough, Senator Nesmith urged many good reasons as
I believed at the time why these trees should be taken and paid for in
accordance with his promise to the Indians and his verbal contract with
Mr. Clough. I therefore felt inclined to make the purchase. But upon
examination of the funds in my hands under the different appropriations
I found but three thousand dollars applicable to such a purchase. While
the sum required to complete the purchase would amount to fifteen
thousand dollars, upon making this exhibit to Senator Nesmith he still
urged the purchase, promising to see that funds were provided to meet
the balance of the purchase money on his arrival in Washington. I had
much confidence at that time in the judgment of Senator Nesmith in
relation to Indian affairs and also in his ability as Senator from our
state to make provision for the payment that I purchased the trees of
Mr. Clough, paying him the three thousand dollars then in my hands,
leaving the balance of the purchase money unpaid.
The trees were delivered in accordance with the
written articles of agreement now on file in your office, but so far
the payment has not been made to Mr. Clough, nor did Senator Nesmith so
far as we know and believe ever make any effort to secure this payment,
although he as I have learned furnished a part of the trees and
received from Mr. Clough most if not all of the money paid by him to
me. Having been instrumental in contracting this debt I feel it my duty
to make this statement and to ask you to examine into the case with a
view to its early payment. Mr. Clough is a poor man and actually
suffering for this money that is justly due him.

Your obedient servant Wm. H. Rector

NARA
Series M234 Letters
Received by
the Office of Indian Affairs 1824-81, Reel
615 Oregon Superintendency, 1866-1869, frames 699-704.

Office
Klamath Agency Oregon,
April 20th 1868.

Sir,
This day Mr. F. W. Vanderpool submitted
his resignation as wagon and plow maker on this reservation. I have
thought proper to accept the same. I have no doubt but that I can fill
the place at once by the appointment of a mechanic well calculated to
fulfill the requirements of the service.

Very
respectfully Your obt.
servant
L. Applegate
U.S.
Indian Sub-Agent

To the Com. of Indian Affairs
Sir
In my communication of the
27th I omitted to state that N. B. Clough had not only delivered the
trees according to contract but to the best of my knowledge and belief
he did not supt. [sic] the planting and culture of them up to the time of my leaving the office of Supt. of Indian Affairs.

Yours truly Your obedient servant Wm. H. Rector

N. B. Clough
Care of L. T. Rector
Brooklyn
Cal.

NARA
Series M234 Letters
Received by
the Office of Indian Affairs 1824-81, Reel
615 Oregon Superintendency, 1866-1869, frame 706.

Alsea Indn. Sub-Agency Coast Reservation Oregon April 30th 1868

Dear Sir,
I have the honor to submit my monthly report for
April 1868 as to the condition of the Indians under my charge:
There are four tribes under my charge (viz.) the Coos, Umpqua, Siuslaw
and Alseas, numbering in all about five hundred and twenty-five. During
the month considerable sickness has visited the different tribes, and
one death in the Coos, two in the Umpqua, and one in Alsea tribe has
taken place during the month. No births in either of the tribes.
They have plenty of food to subsist upon. They have all their spring
crops in and are now preparing for their spring hunt in the mountains.

All of which is most respectfully submitted By your obdt. servt. G. W. Collins U.S. Indn. Sub-Agent

NARA Series M2, Microcopy
of Records of the
Oregon Superintendency of Indian Affairs 1848-1873, Reel 25; Letters
Received, 1868-1870, no number.

Office Klamath Agency, Oregon April 30th 1868.

Sir,
I have the honor to submit the following report for
this month. The earlier part of the month being unfavorable, nothing of
consequence could be done, but on the 20th inst., the cattle having
arrived from Lost River, plowing was commenced, and on the 21st I
employed, in order to prosecute early seeding with more vigor, four
industrious young Indians. On the same instant Mr. F. M. Vanderpool
resigned his position as Wagon and Plow-maker.
The Klamath Indians
have been unusually quiet and orderly during the month. Fishing is the
principal occupation now, and they are now on Williamson River, where
immense numbers of fish are now running. As soon as the fishing season
is near over I expect to employ a number of them in rail-making. The Yahooskins are with them and similarly engaged. These Indians are all pleased with the progress of affairs on the reservation.
I think the good being of the service would be
promoted by the employment of a few white men at once to assist in
plowing, planting and fencing. The Indians are unskilled in these
things but may learn much by example.
As soon in this month as the roads were in such
condition as would admit of their being traveled by burdened animals, I
notified that part of the Modoc
nation off the reservation to come onto it, having previously appointed
a council which they failed to attend. They failed to come.
On the 28th inst. I called upon Capt. McGregor,
commanding Ft. Klamath, for assistance in bringing them onto the
reservation. Capt. McGregor expressed himself as anxious to assist me
at once, with his whole command, but fearing censure from his superiors
for having caused hostilities, in case any of the Indians should
resist, has written to Gen. Crook, now commanding in the stead of Gen.
Rousseau, stating the circumstances and asking instructions to enable
him to assist in bringing the Modocs onto the reservation, peaceably if
possible, but forcibly if required.
I hope soon to be able to make a favorable report on
this question as also on other operations inaugurated in pursuance of
the treaty.

Respectfully Your obt. servant L. Applegate U.S. Indian Sub-Agent

Hon.
J. W. Perit Huntington
Supt. Indian Affairs
in Oregon.NARA Series M2, Microcopy
of Records of the
Oregon Superintendency of Indian Affairs 1848-1873, Reel 25; Letters
Received, 1868-1870, no number.

Office
Klamath Agency Oregon,
May 6th 1868.

Sir,
Considering it essential to the progress
of operations on this reservation I employed on May 1st six white
laborers at $75 per month including subsistence. No laborers could be
had at a less compensation.
The breaking of prairie in time for the
putting in of grain this spring before too late and the enclosing of
the field so as to prevent the overrunning of it by the hundreds of
Indian horses require vigorous operations.
On the 1st inst. also I employed A.
Secord as wagon and plow maker.

Sir,
I deem it my duty to inform you of the
condition of affairs at this agency in respect to gambling. After being
forbidden during your stay here last fall to refrain from gambling off
their effects, they complied cheerfully until very lately, when they
resumed their old practice, which led to serious altercation even to
the drawing of dangerous weapons and a continual and annoying state of
turmoil and difficulty. As the shortest way to prevent these evils, I
forbid gambling altogether, and ordered the
return of articles to their original owners. With the exception of one
individual they all complied. This man bid defiance to my authority,
and procuring his arrest through the chiefs, the agency jail not yet
being constructed, I sent him to Fort Klamath, with a request to
confine him in the guardhouse.
The Indians have just returned, stating
that Capt. McGregor refused to confine him, stating that the Indians
should not be forbidden from gambling, and that he would not confine
anyone for that cause. This leaves the Indians victorious, and some of
them manifest an utter disregard to my authority. If this state of
things continues, the military aid being withheld when most wanted, it
will be almost impossible to carry out the provisions of the treaty I
think. Please give me the benefit of your instructions and suggestions
immediately.

Very respectfully
your obt. servant
L. Applegate
U.S.
Indian Sub-Agent

J. W. P. Huntington Supt. Indian Affairs
Sir I came this morning to Amity and
learned that a man answering the description of Murphy paid them [a
visit] on Thursday. At Dayton the hotel keeper told me Murphy had tried
them a year or more since, but they drove him off for bad conduct. That
on Friday morning before sunrise he saw across the bridge and instead
of going up the road slipped 'round through
the brush and came out into the road beyond the toll house. He thought
at the time it was to dodge the toll. He, the hotel keeper, was on the
bank about one hundred and fifty yards from the bridge and says the man
was about the size of Murphy and carried a carpet sack as Murphy had
when last seen at Dallas. If this was the man and I think most likely
it was he most likely went on to Portland, and if so I hope Brown got
him. I made inquiry at the place; he has not been here. I will return
to the agency tomorrow.

Sir,
I am just in receipt of a letter from
Sub-Agent Collins of Alsea Agency dated 14th inst., a copy of which is
herewith enclosed, asking me for assistance to pursue a number of
Indians that have recently left his agency for Coos Bay. I cannot at
present without great injury to the service at this agency give him the
assistance asked for, unless I employ other help than my regular
employees.
I have therefore most respectfully to
submit the matter to you and ask for instructions.

To the officer at Fort Klamath.
Capt. Jack on my return from Sacramento was in
waiting to consult me; my former relations with these Indians has
resulted in their full confidence in me, they having always obeyed all
my orders while agent for California. They now as of former times
desire to have a portion of the wild country to the eastward of us and
live in peace with the Indians and citizens. They do not like
reservations, and I think they are just in their conclusions.
I shall leave for Washington in ten days, when it
will give me pleasure to myself &c. to represent their true
condition and wants to the heads of departments, many of whom I am
personally acquainted with. I hope that they may not be disturbed as
long as they support themselves and commit no depredations.

The bearer of this wants to go up
towards Lost River to make inquiry about Hornbuckle. Capt. McGregor has
had a talk with Capt. Jack, chief of the Modocs, and has made an
agreement with the Modocs which was satisfactory to both parties. Capt.
McGregor will no doubt make known the agreement and see that it is
faithfully carried out and the Modocs protected in their rights.

This is to certify that on my late
visit to Washington I presented the case of the Modoc Indians to the
Department of Indian Affairs and was assured by them that they would
send written instructions as to their determination that all the
Indians south of the Oregon line belonged to the California agency and
not the Oregon agency. The Department further informed me that [the]
treaty that I made with their Indians in 1863 & 4 was the only one
that as yet had not met with approval.
Therefore I would advise the military not to take
charge of Capt. Jack's Indians until advices are received from the
proper authorities at Washington.

E. Steele Late Sub-Agt., I.D. California

To Supt. Ind. Affairs for Modoc Indians or whom
it may concern. The bearer, Capt. Jack of Modocs, I have known well for
many years. He is well disposed towards our citizens, and has been
since he has come into power. Is truly [sic] & faithful.
He prefers not to sell his land and be forced upon a
reservation, as he has seen too much of the workings of those
institutions in the past.

Respectfully yours E. Steele Yreka, Aug. 2 / 69

NARA
Series M234 Letters
Received by
the Office of Indian Affairs 1824-81, Reel
616
Oregon Superintendency, 1870-1871, frames 342-343. These four documents were
copied by A. B. Meacham in 1870 from a sheaf of papers borrowed from
Captain Jack; refer to reports of December 19, 1869 and January 14, 1870.

United States Senate Chamber Washington May 29th 1868

Dear Sir
Your letter of April 28th I have received.
You have already heard of the result of the impeachment trial--Andy still reigns.
Nothing of course can or will be done in respect to
appointments in Oregon. Things for the present must remain in status
quo.
I hope that your predictions as to the election may
prove true; I feel a great anxiety about it, as it is the first
election after Grant's nomination. Whatever may be the result of the
June election I trust that we shall carry the state for Grant &
Colfax.
There is a crazy determination to cut down the
Indian appropriations. We are going to have a hard struggle to prevent
their total abolition in some cases. There never was such a frenzy to
reduce expenses. I did not attend the Chicago convention; I handed my
proxy to Walling. McCuhill
had Baker's proxy. I spoke to some of our Pacific Coast friends about
Gov. Woods, but they seemed disinclined to favor the movement. There
are a great many aspirants in California. Let me hear from you again.

Friend Simpson
Yours of April 27 is duly recd.--contents noted, for which I thank you
very much. We failed to get the advanced appropriation bill through in
consequence of a fight over it in the House. I had attached $10,000 for
the Indians on your reservation to pay for their claim, as I intended
to compensate them for opening up Yaquina Bay. It passed the Senate,
failed in the House, and now [that] the regular Indian appropriation
bill is before us old Ben Butler has been cutting and slashing into it
without [omission] and sense
of justice or reason. I see he has stricken out entirely the $50,000
for Indians in Oregon & Washington, half of which goes to your
agency, I believe any on which you rely to pay employees, and in the
bill he provides for only one agency in all Oregon. The bill has passed
the House, so I have to fight it in the Senate; therefore if I get the
$50,000 appropriated and the agents again inserted it may be as much as
I can expect. I shall try also for compensation for losses; I fear
however it will be vain with regard to the latter.

NARA
Series M2,
Microcopy of Records of the
Oregon Superintendency of Indian Affairs 1848-1873, Reel 30;
Miscellaneous Loose Papers 1850-1873.

Klamath
Indian Agency Oregon May 31 1868.

Sir,
I have the honor to report as follows
for the present month.

The
Klamath and Yahooskin Indians.

These Indians with a very few exceptions have been quiet and peaceable.
A number of them have been employed in rail making and in various ways
on the farm, and they have shown considerable zeal and energy.
Furnished with essential farming tools &c. many of them would,
in a measure, forsake their indolent ways and become successful tillers
of the ground. These Indians, as also the Modocs and Snakes on the
reservation, are now engaged in collecting an edible root called by
them ep'aw, but
known among the whites as the Indian bread root.

The
Modocs.

High chief
Schonchin and three of his people who are with him on the reservation
are quiet and peaceable and disposed to be governed by treaty
stipulations, but a large number of Modocs yet remain in their old
country. No important change in relation to this matter has taken place
since the date of my last report. Not considering it advisable to
attempt to collect these people without a strong force, I yet await the
action of the military. The commander of the United States forces here
not being willing to act on my requisitions sent for orders to the
commander of the Department, and as yet has received no reply. I am yet
of the opinion that on the advent of a strong force in their country
these Indians would collect and come onto the reservation, but in all
probability a small force could not succeed. Notwithstanding the
perplexing state of affairs in relation to the Modoc matter, I hope to
be able to report a satisfactory settlement of it soon.

The
Farm.

Operations
have been vigorously prosecuted on the farm. Up to the 15th inst., at
which time sowing ceased, on account of the lateness of the snow eighty acres of
grain were sown, a part on subdued and the remainder on newly broken
land. Of corn and garden vegetables about forty acres have
been planted, and plowing and planting still continue. In pursuance of
your instructions a string of fence is being built from the northeast
corner of the old field to the head of Fountain Creek, a distance of
about 3¼ miles. The fence is about two-thirds completed, and
the design is to finish it as soon as possible. Most of the rails for
the fence have been made by the Indians, and have been purchased of
them according to your wish.
During the greater part of the month
five white laborers have been employed in farming and fencing.

Dear Sir--
Again I have the honor to submit my
report of condition of Indians &c. under my charge during the
month of May 1868.
The whole number of Indians in this
agency is about four hundred, consisting of the Coos, Umpqua, Siuslaw
and Alsea tribes.
During the month no material change has
taken place, and the same quiet and good feeling appears to exist.
They are beginning to see the importance
and necessity of civilization and endeavoring to adopt the more
honorable mode of living.
The Coos and Umpqua tribes are the most
intelligent, and are making more rapid advancement toward civilization
than either of the other tribes. A great portion of them manifest a
good degree of taste in and about their homes in the way of neatness
and order, both of person and farms.
While not engaged on their farms they
are either in the mountains for game or on the rivers fishing. And by
these means are well supplied with food.
The Alsea and Siuslaw tribes are of a
more indolent nature and still desire to adhere to the Indian mode of
living and appear more contented while in the pursuit of game than
where cultivating the soil.
Each and all the tribes have enjoyed
good health during the month.
No deaths have taken place and but one
birth.

All
of which is most respectfully
Submitted by your most obdt. [servant]
G. W.
Collins
U.S. Indian Sub-Agent

NARA Series M2, Microcopy
of Records of the
Oregon Superintendency of Indian Affairs 1848-1873, Reel 25; Letters
Received, 1868-1870, no number.

Galesville,
Douglas Co. Ogn. June 27th
1868

J. W. P. Huntington Esq.
Supt. Indian Affairs
Sir
I take the liberty of asking advice in
behalf of myself and two others who are desirous of mining on the beach
on the reservation.
Would you grant permission to a small
company to mine there? The company of course to strictly observe all of
your rules and regulations.
At your earliest convenience will you be
kind enough to drop an answer and oblige.

Sir,
I have the honor to report as follows
for the present month. The Indians with very few exceptions have been
quiet and peaceable during the month. A number of them have been
employed in rail making, and in various ways on the farm, and have
shown considerable zeal and energy. Furnished with essential farming
tools &c. many of them would in a
measure forsake their indolent ways and become successful tillers of
the ground. They have been, during the latter part of the month,
encamped in large numbers on the prairie collecting the camas root, an
important article of diet.
Nothing new in regard to the Modoc
matter has transpired during the month, consequently it remains
substantially as reported last month.
On the farms much has been accomplished.
Early in the month planting ceased on account of the lateness of the
season, about fifty acres of corn and vegetables having been planted.
Plowing on new land is still pursued with vigor. The fence running from
the old agency to Fountain Creek has been completed, also another from
Crooked River to Wood River Slough. Two bridges on Crooked River have
also been built for the convenience of the agency.

Very respectfully
Your obt. servant
L.
Applegate
U.S. Indian Sub-Agent

Hon. J. W. Perit Huntington
Supt. Indian Affairs
in Oregon.NARA Series M2, Microcopy
of Records of the
Oregon Superintendency of Indian Affairs 1848-1873, Reel 25; Letters
Received, 1868-1870, no number.

Klamath
Agency Oregon, June 30th
1868.

Sir,
I have the honor to submit the following
report for the period I have been acting as Supt. of Farming on this
reservation. I entered upon the discharge of duty on October 1st 1867.
Having been employed here in another capacity
since the commencement of operations in 1865, I had become acquainted
with the nature of the soil and the peculiarities of the climate,
knowledge which I found of much assistance to me in my new field of
duty.
The soil under cultivation here lies
immediately on the northeastern shore of the Greater Klamath Lake, and
the moisture continually rising from the level of the lake keeps it in
excellent condition all summer. When favoring showers in spring have
caused seeds to sprout and send down their roots two or three inches,
there is no farther danger of drought on this bottom land. This soil
seems to be the result of an admixture of the washings of the mountains
with the debris
of decaying vegetation, and as a consequence is exceedingly fertile. In
its native state it is covered with a powerfully tenacious turf, and in
the warm season with an immense growth of tall rye grass intermixed
with wild peavine and clover. When broken this turf requires a long
period in which to decay, and considering this fact, and also that the
severity of winter prevents the cultivation of the soil for near four
months, that the soil until thoroughly subdued will not yield good
crops and that up to the autumn of 1867 but one team was employed in
plowing, we may easily realize the fact that the progress of
agricultural operations has been very slow on this reservation.
After the time of my assuming control of
operations on the farm, the teams were kept steadily employed in
plowing until late in December, the winter coming later than usual.
After the commencement of severe weather, the ground being frozen or
snow covered until April, the hands were employed in getting out
building timber and making rails when practicable, and in feeding and
caring for the stock.
On the commencement of the spring season
operations in the fields were vigorously resumed. The teams were all
employed in plowing, harrowing or in hauling rails, and the farmer and
other employees labored industriously to accomplish as much as possible
before the planting season should be at an end. By the 1st inst. the
whole amount of ground then broken had been planted or sown. This
amounted to one hundred and thirty acres, of which fifty acres were
planted in corn, turnips, carrots, beets &c. and the remainder
was sown in barley, wheat and oats. Early in spring a part of the farm
force was employed in enclosing the farm with a substantial rail fence.
This fence, which is now completed, leaves the lake shore a little
south of the old agency buildings and running due east something over a
half mile changes its direction northward and running in a direct line
three and a quarter miles joins Fountain Creek near the falls. The said
creek running due west a half a mile enters Crooked River, which
running south flows into Wood River, and the last stream soon empties
into Klamath Lake. These streams are impassable by stock, and hence a
field of near two thousand acres is thus enclosed, much of it being
fine agricultural land, and much splendid wild meadows. Most of the
rails for this enclosure were made by the Indians, and in this they
displayed an unlooked-for degree of industry and enterprise. After
completing the enclosure I turned my attention towards enclosing a
pasture for the Department animals by fencing from Crooked River
westerly to Wood River Slough, just north of Council Grove. This
enclosure, which is also completed, includes a larger extent of country
extending southward from the fence between Crooked and Wood rivers to
their junction.
Having completed the pasture I
superintended the construction of a bridge across Crooked River,
opposite the site selected by Supt. Huntington for agency buildings,
thus affording easy access to the pasture. I also built a bridge on the
same stream north of Council Grove, that the public travel might not
pass through the pasture.
Since the putting in of the spring crop
was completed the plows have been kept breaking prairie, and the crop
has been properly cared for.
So far with the means at hand it has
been impossible to accomplish much with respect to commencing separate
farms for the Indians. Some of them have put in small gardens, and many
of them express a desire to commence cultivating the soil for
themselves at a time when the requisite assistance can be furnished
them. The Indians and white employees on the farm have rendered
efficient service.
To farmer S. D. Whitmore much credit is
due for his continued industry and determination to do his duty, as
also to farmer John Gotbrod, who evinces a faithful spirit.

Respectfully your
obt. servant,
O. C. Applegate
Supt. of
Farming.

Hon. L. Applegate
U.S. Indian Sub-Agent.NARA Series M2, Microcopy
of Records of the
Oregon Superintendency of Indian Affairs 1848-1873, Reel 25; Letters
Received, 1868-1870, no number.

Farm productions raised
on the government farm, with exception of quantity retained for seed,
and some vegetables for the government employees, issued to the chiefs
and headmen of the Klamath, Modoc and Yahooskin Snake Indians for
distribution to their people.
A large amount of ground has been
broken, and will be in fine condition for a spring crop. The Indians
are encouraged to turn their attention towards farming, and much more
interest is manifested in agricultural pursuits than formerly.
The article of bald barley, of which
grain a large amount can be produced next year, is finely adapted to
the climate and soil and to the subsistence of the Indians. It is never
injured by the frost, and the grain is nutritious, palatable and easily
prepared for use.
The seed of the yellow pond lily, called
by the Indians "wocus," is a valuable article of diet, abounding in the
marshes.
[The] pounds or values of fish,
feathers, cinches, gloves &c. given herein is only estimated.Lindsay Applegate, "Statistical
Return of Farming &c. at the Klamath Agency 1868," NARA Series M2, Microcopy
of Records of the
Oregon Superintendency of Indian Affairs 1848-1873, Reel 25; Letters
Received, 1868-1870, No. 2. The return was most likely filed
July 1 of 1868.

Alsea
Indn. Sub-Agency Ogn. July 6th
1868.

Sir:--
I have the honor to submit my monthly
report of the condition of the Indians under my charge in the Alsea
Indn. Sub-Agency Oregon for the month of June 1868.
The four tribes
in this agency (viz.) Coos, Umpqua, Siuslaw and Alseas number about 527
souls. During the month no marked change has taken place in either
tribe. They are all quiet and apparently contented and easily managed
and governed.
Every month shows some signs of
improvement in their condition. They want not for food during this
season of the year, while game and fish are so plentiful. They have a
fine prospect of an abundant harvest. Crops look well and will
undoubtedly produce largely.
A large portion of the best hunters are
now in the mountains (with my consent), killing and curing meat, while
others are engaged in fishing on the rivers in this vicinity, thus
providing food to subsist upon during harvest.
They begin to see the advantage in
providing for their future wants by laying in a plentiful supply of
food
while it is easily obtained.
By realizing large crops and plentiful
ones it has encouraged them in agriculture, and they seem to express a
great willingness to improve their time on the farms and are fast becoming
learning to be good farmers.
At present they are comfortably clothed
and appear
to feel thankful for the attention paid them by their Great Father.
There has been very little sickness
among them during the month.
Two births have taken place in the Coos
tribe, and one death.
All of which is most respectfully
submitted.

Your most obdt.
servt.
G. W. Collins
U.S.
Indn. Sub-Agent

NARA Series M2, Microcopy
of Records of the
Oregon Superintendency of Indian Affairs 1848-1873, Reel 25; Letters
Received, 1868-1870, no number.

Office Klamath
Agency, Oregon,
July 10th 1868.

Sir,
In regard to appointment and resignation
on the Klamath Reservation I would respectfully report as follows.

--June
22nd 1868--

Henry Duncan resigned his position as
U.S. Carpenter,
and on the 1st inst. Norman S. Lee of Lebanon, Linn Co. was
appointed to fill the vacancy.

--June
30th 1868--

O. C. Applegate resigned the position of
Supt. of
Farming, and on the 1st inst. I. D. Applegate of Jackson Co. Oregon was
appointed in his stead.

On
the 1st inst.

Dr. William C. McKay of Wasco Co. Oregon
received the
appointment of Physician and O. C. Applegate that of Teacher on the
Klamath Reservation.

Very
respectfully Your obt.
servant
L. Applegate
U.S.
Indian Sub-Agent

Sir,
If you consider it compatible with the
requirements
of the Indian service, I should like to appoint a sawyer for this
agency.
It cannot be but a short time before a
sawmill will
be erected, and prior to that time a sawyer can be detailed in
assisting in its erection, or otherwise for the good being of the
service.
There is an opportunity now of securing
the services
of an excellent sawyer who is also a good carpenter and would be of
much aid in erecting the mill.
Such an opportunity might not again
occur if the appointment be longer postponed.
Will you please give me instruction on
this point at an early day?

Very
respectfully Your obt.
servant
L. Applegate
U.S.
Indian Sub-Agent

J. W. Perit Huntington Esq.
Sup. Ind. Affairs Oregon
Dear Sir
We sent you yesterday a dispatch to remit if convenient the money due
as per the flour. You answered, as the money was sent long ago, to see
Applegate. We wrote to Mr. Applegate enclosing your dispatch. We
received today an answer that there is no money in his in possession
for to pay for that flour. Please answer how it stands?

Sir,
In compliance with the regulations of
the Indian
Department, I have the honor to submit to you my 5th annual report of
the condition of the Indians under my charge at the Alsea Indian
Sub-Agency Coast Reservation Oregon.
In this agency there are four tribes of
Indians,
viz. Coos, Umpqua, Siuslaws and Alsea tribes, numbering as follows:
Coos tribe 171, Umpquas 83, Siuslaw 127 and the Alsea 146, making a
total of 527 souls.
It affords me great pleasure to be able
to report
the condition of these Indians in a flourishing and healthy state, and
the affairs of the agency in a prosperous condition. The crops look
fine, and at present indicate a large yield of wheat, oats, potatoes
and all other kinds of vegetables grown on the coast of Oregon. This so
encourages the Indians that they are fast becoming satisfied that 'tis
beneficial to them to work and cultivate the soil in order to reap a
good harvest.
During the past year they have made many
permanent
improvements such as building houses, barns and stables, making rails,
building new fences and repairing old ones. We now have under fence
about four hundred acres of land, and one hundred and sixty acres in
cultivation. For a detailed report of the farming operations, I will
refer you to the report of the Supt. of Farming accompanying this.
The Coos and Umpqua tribes have a very
fine crop of
wheat this year and are anxious to have a mill to flour their grain
that they may so far adopt the state of the whites in their mode of
living, and as I have already become convinced that by selecting the
most suitable ground, fine crops of wheat can be raised here. I would
most respectfully recommend that a small mill be purchased for the use
of the Indians on this agency, such a one as they have at the Siletz
Agency would be a suitable one. I am satisfied that the same amount of
money could not be expended in any other way that would give the full
satisfaction that this would in the way of encouraging the Indians in
agriculture.
The Coos and Umpquas are very
intelligent Indians,
and take pride in trying to improve their condition. They are obedient
and dutiful, always ready and willing to perform duties assigned them
by the farmer. The most of them have fine gardens aside from their
general crop, and take pride in cultivating them.
The Siuslaw tribe lives on the Siuslaw
River and
cultivate the small bottoms along its side which are very rich and
produce largely.
They have under cultivation about 30
acres of land
in which they raise corn, potatoes, peas, squashes and other
vegetables, which promise a good crop. They have good fisheries and put
up large quantities each year.
Last fall they sold about two hundred
bushels of
salmon to a company who were allowed to go in there with a small
schooner and exchange clothing and provision for their fish and furs.
They are but little expense to the government and give the agent but
little unnecessary trouble.
The Alsea tribe, of a more inferior
order, live on the Alsea River and cultivate the small bottoms of land,
which are very rich.
This year they have under cultivation
about twenty
acres, mostly in potatoes, turnips and carrots. Some of them are good
hunters and kill large quantities of deer and usually exchange the
skins with the other tribes for wheat, potatoes &c. &c.
All of
which is most respectfully submitted.

Your obt. servant
G. W. Collins
U.S.
Indian Sub-Agent

To
Hon. J. W. Perit Huntington
Supt. of
Indian Affairs.NARA Series M2, Microcopy
of Records of the
Oregon Superintendency of Indian Affairs 1848-1873, Reel 25; Letters
Received, 1868-1870, no number.

Alsea
Indian Sub-Agency July 25th
1868.

Sir,
In compliance with your request I submit
the
following statement in relation to the Coos, Umpqua and Alsea Indian
farms at this agency. I took charge of those farms on the 22nd of last
October. I immediately proceeded to take care of the potato crop. After
the potatoes were all safely housed, I then repaired to the stables for
the government stock during the winter. This spring we have plowed and
put in crop on this farm wheat 20 acres, oats 35 acres, timothy 9
acres. That with wheat had been sown on this farm before, making 25
acres in all. Potatoes 50 acres, peas 6 acres, turnips, rutabagas and
carrots 12 acres. Indians' private gardens 12 acres. Ten acres of new
land has been broke and put in crop this spring, making in all 160
acres in crop this year which all promises a good crop. Wheat will make
20 bushels to the acres. Oats 40 bushels to the acre. Potatoes,
turnips and vegetables of all kinds made a good average crop. We have
made over four thousand rails, built new fences and repaired fences.
Built a new barn 48 feet long and 20 wide on the old one, raised the
old one three logs higher, put a shed on each side 15 feet wide for
stabling Department horses and oxen. Put a new roof on all, making 148
feet long and 50 feet wide under cover. I find these Indians far more
willing to perform such labor as I have required of them, and take
great interest in farming. We have the prospect of a good crop of small
grain here this year, and I would respectfully recommend that there
should be a fanning mill purchased for this place.
All of which is respectfully submitted.

Supt. of Farming
J. S. Copeland

To G. W. Collins
U.S. Indian Sub-AgentNARA Series M2, Microcopy
of Records of the
Oregon Superintendency of Indian Affairs 1848-1873, Reel 25; Letters
Received, 1868-1870, no number.

Grand
Ronde Agency July 28th
1868.

Sir,
I have the honor to submit the following
annual report of the manual labor school under my charge.
On taking charge of the school, December
1st, 1867,
I found the scholars very much scattered. I succeeded in getting a few
together, and since that time there has been a steady increase of
scholars up to the present time. I have as many scholars as I can take
care of in the present house. There is 30 scholars on my school list,
23 boys, 7 girls=30.
There has been no deaths and but very
little
sickness since the school has been under my charge. They have been
taught spelling, reading, writing and arithmetic; the girls have also
been instructed in the culinary department and in needlework. Some of
the girls and boys seem to take an interest in their studies. I can't
say that they take that interest in their outdoor work that they
should; I learn them to work but whether I will succeed in learning
them to love it will have to be determined in the future. I think it
highly probable that some of them will make successful farmers by
proper training. We have a very fine garden this year, consisting
principally of potatoes, cabbages, parsnips, carrots, beets, peas,
beans and corn. We have also a very fine strawberry bed that has been
cultivated by the boys, but owing to late frosts they did not yield
more than one fourth of a crop this year. Our turnip crop was an entire
failure; they were destroyed by bugs.
The advantages accruing to the Indians
and to the
government are so numerous and obvious that they must in full force
strike anyone at the first glance. All know that frequent change in
instructions and modes of instruction are invariably disastrous to the
interests of a school among white children, and experienced teachers
know that they are much more so among Indians, who are naturally shy,
reserved and suspicious and need a long acquaintance before anything
like complete confidence is felt by them. Now frequent changes utterly
preclude the possibility of such confidence being established.
Again, a long acquaintance is necessary
in order to
obtain a knowledge of the peculiar traits of Indian character. Without
this knowledge all efforts to educate them will be entirely abortive.
Allow me here to invite your attention
to the
necessity of building a chimney in that portion of the building
occupied by the teacher and his family during the winter, as the house
is neither comfortable or healthy.
I would also suggest, and respectfully
urge upon your notice,
the utility of setting apart 20 or 25 acres of farming land for the use
of the school, also the purchase of one pair of harness and horses and
farming implements for the exclusive use of the school.
In conclusion, permit me to return you
my cordial
thanks for the interest you have constantly manifested in the welfare
of this school.

T. S. Jeffries
Teacher

Amos Harvey
U.S. Indian AgentNARA Series M2, Microcopy
of Records of the
Oregon Superintendency of Indian Affairs 1848-1873, Reel 25; Letters
Received, 1868-1870, no number.

Grand Ronde Agency.
July 28th 1868.

Sir,
In compliance with the regulations of
the Indian Department, I herewith submit my second annual report.
Since my last report, I have been
engaged in a
variety of work for the Department and Indians, such as making harness,
wagon wheels, wagon beds, axletrees, bolsters, coffins, wagon tongues,
coupling poles, sand boards, hounds, neck yokes, single and double
trees, stocking plows, making plow beams, plow handles, ox bows, fork
and shovel handles, doors, bedsteads, tables, boxes, cupboards, cradles
and repairing wagons, plows, harrows, grain cradles, sharpening
crosscut and hand saws, and a great variety of other small items too
numerous to mention.
I have also put up a block and council
house for the
Department and done considerable repairing on the agency buildings. I
have also done about one month's work on the mills and mill dam.
The Indians have brought in quite a
number of old
wagons, which they have worked for on the outside, which will need
considerable repairing, almost enough to keep one man busy for a year.
I would recommend that some new hubs be
bought, so that some of the old may be replaced with new ones.
There will be also some oak timber,
paint and nails needed for the shop.
The tools are in good repair, and but
few ones needed.

Very respectfully
J. W. Stewart
Carpenter

Amos Harvey Esq.
U.S. Indian AgentNARA Series M2, Microcopy
of Records of the
Oregon Superintendency of Indian Affairs 1848-1873, Reel 25; Letters
Received, 1868-1870, no number.

Grand
Ronde Agency July 29th
1868.

Sir,
In compliance with the regulations of
the Indian
Department, I have the honor to submit my first annual report.
Shortly after taking charge of the mills
(Jan. 1st
1868) the high water, which was higher than had been known for years,
washed a channel 50 feet wide and from 12 to 15 feet deep around one
end of the dam. As soon as the water had fallen so as to admit [work]
we commenced putting in a new dam, which we completed, so that I began
grinding Feby. 4th 1868, and sawing on the 19th. Since that time I have
ground two days out of each week, and sawed the balance of the time, up
to within a few days, when I found it necessary to clean out the race,
which had been filled up considerably by the high water last winter. As
soon as we have finished cleaning out the race (which will be in a few
days) I think there will be water enough to run all day, even at the
lowest stage.
The present water wheel in the grist
mill is an
old-fashioned "tub wheel," very badly worn, and with little power
unless there is plenty of water, which makes it slow grinding in the
summer when the water is low. I would recommend that a new wheel be put
in the place of the one now in use.
There should be some new elevators made
and put in
the grist mill, also a new fanning mill for the use of the mill.
With the repairs mentioned above, both
mills will be
in good running order and capable of doing all the work required of the
Indians and Department.
I have ground up to July 1st 1429
bushels of wheat, and sawed 6694 feet of lumber.

Very
respectfully G.
Shurtleff
Miller and Sawyer

Amos Harvey
Indian Agent Oregon.NARA Series M2, Microcopy
of Records of the
Oregon Superintendency of Indian Affairs 1848-1873, Reel 25; Letters
Received, 1868-1870, no number.

Grand
Ronde Indian Agency Oregon,
July 29th 1868

Sir,
I have the honor herewith of submitting
my fourth annual report for the year ending June 30th 1868.
It affords me pleasure to state that the
past year
has been one of unusual good health on this agency, and it is
especially gratifying to know that syphilis, that bane of Indian
civilization, is rapidly disappearing, and by reference to our reports
for the years '65 & '66, as compared with the last year, you
will
perceive that this disease, so common at that time, has very greatly
diminished, and during the last year I have treated but few new
cases. This is to my mind is most conclusive proof of the
injurious results
growing out of the association of the Indians with the military, and
after having been in almost constant professional communication with
these people for four years [I] am well satisfied that to place them
under
the control of that department would be perhaps [a] rather slow, but a
sure means of their final extermination by this disease, and I hope the
day is not far distant when syphilis, with all its complications, shall
disappear from this reservation and that we shall see these Indians
making the same advancement in morals and religion that they are doing
in agriculture and the arts, for on this reservation many are getting
good houses and well-improved farms. The improvement in their mode of
living, together with an abundant supply of good and healthy food, is
highly conducive to their general good health.
This agency has been entirely free for
the last year from any contagious disease, and the diseases that have
been and are most common are ophthalmia and
intermittent fever, perhaps owing to the late and almost constant rains
which have continued up to the 1st inst. In addition to the above, I
have had a few cases of scrofula, rheumatism, dysentery &c.
&c. for the statistics of which permit me to refer to my
quarterly report just submitted.
The diseases which I have had to treat
for the last year have nearly all yielded to proper medical treatment,
there having been but few deaths, and those mainly among the very old
or children. Nevertheless it is very difficult to get them to take
medicine and follow directions strictly, and to desist entirely from
their superstitions, as many of them are disposed to intersperse the
treatment by a doctor dance, or some other incantation as handed down
from father to son, these in some cases thwarting the design of the
physician in his course of treatment. It is also quite difficult to get
them to take those remedies that are unpleasant to the taste. Still
another difficulty I find in chronic cases; I find it is next to
impossible to get them to continue a course of treatment for any great
length of time, and indeed they are much like their more enlightened
neighbors; they desire a change of treatment, or perhaps a new doctor.
These difficulties appear to be gradually disappearing, but it will
take time and patience to entirely remove them.
Permit me in conclusion to call your
attention to the want of hospital stores, having a good supply of
medicines on hand. All of which is respectfully submitted.

W. C. Warriner M.D.

Amos Harvey Esq.
U.S. Indian AgentNARA Series M2, Microcopy
of Records of the
Oregon Superintendency of Indian Affairs 1848-1873, Reel 25; Letters
Received, 1868-1870, no number.

Siletz
Agency Oregon July 29th
1868

Sir,I
have the honor of submitting this, my sixth annual report of the
affairs of this agency.
I take pleasure in saying that the
Indians under my charge continue friendly and well disposed towards the
whites, and with few exceptions seem willing to accept the situation
and to devote their attention to the improvement of the lands they
occupy.
They are gradually discontinuing their
barbarous habits and modes of life and are beginning to appreciate the
importance and necessity of "taking thought for the morrow," and of
applying themselves to steady labor during the present in order to make
provisions for the future.
Heretofore their roving propensities and
their complete devotion to the pleasures of the present, regardless of
the future, have been an insuperable obstacle to any permanent
improvement. But when they learn (as I think they are beginning to
learn) that their prosperity and happiness depend upon their own
exertions, their advancement in civilization will be rapid and easy.
We have only to foster this dawning
spirit of thrift and industry among them, and the complex problem of
their fate as a race will be soon and easily solved. During
the present year there are under cultivation on this reserve about one
thousand acres of land, planted in oats, wheat, potatoes, peas and
garden vegetables of various kinds. Besides this we have enclosed for
pasture, meadow &c. about one thousand acres. Our crops are
exceedingly promising and give promise of an unusual yield; this is
especially true of the crop of oats.
We have been very much retarded in our
agricultural labors this year by the fact that the government stock on
this agency is fast becoming old, worn out and unfit for use, and a
fresh supply is therefore urgently needed.
In view of these and other hindrances
with which the employees and Indians have had to contend in their
farming operations, their industry is truly commendable, and the
results which they have achieved are extremely gratifying as well as
surprising. Quite a number of substantial improvements have been made
upon this reservation this year by the carpenter, Mr. Thorn. These
improvements consist principally in houses, barns &c. erected
for the use of the Indians.
The Indian school, in charge of Mr. F.
D. Dodge, is in a prosperous condition, and has since my last report
accomplished much good. It has in attendance regularly from fifteen to
twenty scholars, who seem to be acquiring some taste for mental
improvement. Owing to limited means I was compelled on the first day of
last December to change the character of the school from a manual labor
to a day school, allowing the scholars to obtain board &
lodging at their homes, though I still continued to clothe them. I am
satisfied both from experience and observation that the manual labor
system is [by] far the best that has yet been tried, and that it is, in
fact, the only system by which we can hope to effect any permanent
good. Indeed, it is obvious upon a moment's consideration that it is
utterly useless to attempt to elevate any individuals of a heretofore
savage race without removing them from their rude associates, and thus
freeing them as far as possible from all degrading influences. So long
as they remain connected with their tribes, the knowledge that they may
acquire at school will be either effaced from their minds or perverted
to vicious ends by those absurd traditions and superstitious myths that
are continually floating about among a savage people. Besides, it is
evident that among the Indians physical and mental training must go
together, for it is like putting new wine into old bottles to attempt
to educate a mind that inhabits a savage body--mind and body must be
civilized at the same time, and while the one is being stored with
useful knowledge the other must be taught sober, steady, industrious
habits; under such a system, not only will the pupils be benefited, but
they will contribute largely by their influence and example toward the
elevation of their race from its barbarous condition. It seems
to me, therefore, that an efficient manual labor school should be
attached to every Indian agency, and that the agent should be furnished
with ample means for providing the school with a competent teacher and
all necessary appliances for maintaining it upon a firm footing.
To keep up such a school in connection
with this agency will cost about three
thousand dollars per annum, and I earnestly hope that an
appropriation will be made at an early day for that purpose.
The sanitary condition of the Indians
has very much improved within the past year under the care of Dr.
Bensell, the resident physician.
There has been but little
sickness, comparatively, and the diseases prevailing have been
generally of the venereal type. For further information on this point I
refer you to the report of Dr. Bensell.
During the past year the Indians have
generally, as I have already remarked, remained quietly upon the
reservation, devoting their time and attention to the improvement of
their homes, but there have been some exceptions. Some of the Indians
have shown a very lawless and unruly disposition, and have caused me
much annoyance by escaping from the reservation and roving about the
adjoining settlements in idleness and dissipation, and by exciting
insubordination among the other Indians.
These exceptions are due mainly, as I
believe, to the tardiness exhibited by the general government in
complying with the agreement made with the Indians at the time they
were brought to this reservation.
As you will remember, in 1856 Gen. Joel
Palmer (then in charge of the Oregon Superintendency) entered into a
treaty with some ten tribes of Indians, now occupying the Siletz
Reservation.
Trusting to the pledges of security at
that time made to them, the Indians came here and settled upon the
lands set apart for their use in the treaty to which I refer.
From some cause, however, that treaty
was not ratified by the Senate, and the affair has remained in this
position from that time until now. Consequently these Indians are now,
and have been for the past twelve years, utterly without any guarantees
for their future security. They are now in the anomalous condition of
prisoners of war in time of peace, dependent for support and even for
their homes upon the uncertain charity of the government. They are mere
tenants by sufferance of the lands they occupy, liable at any time to
be driven from their [homes] by the constantly encroaching white man.
They have been repeatedly assured by
those who have had them in charge that this grievance would be
remedied, but these fair promises have been repeatedly broken, and so
the government has gone on from year to year, gradually but surely
teaching this rude, simple-minded people the bitter lesson of distrust
of the white race.
The Indians are thoroughly conscious of
the humiliation and insecurity of their position, and of a necessary
consequence have frequently manifested their dissatisfaction by
escaping when possible from a place that seemed to them intended as a
prison rather than as a home for them.
Now, however, the majority of them seem
to be willing to "wait a little longer" for some action in their behalf
on the part of the general government, but a few, more suspicious than
the rest from their longer acquaintance with our race, are constantly
endeavoring to excite discontent and insubordination among their
companions. In view of these facts, it is not wonderful that this
agency has been one of the most difficult to manage of any included
within the Oregon Superintendency, and if matters continue as they are,
this will prove in the future a constant source of annoyance to the
agent and of expense to the government.
The discontent and suspicion of the
Indians on this subject has been greatly increased by the action of the
government two years ago in throwing open Yaquina Bay and the
surrounding lands to white occupancy.
As you are aware, those lands formed a
part of the Siletz Reservation, and quite a number of Indians had
settled upon them.
These Indians had erected houses and
barns, built fences &c. with the intention of making permanent
homes there, and as no provision was made by the government for paying
them for their improvements, they were actually robbed of the results
of their labor and were literally thrust out of their homes by the
white men that came in there to settle. This has caused much anxiety
and distrust among the Indians, for the evil disposed are constantly
endeavoring to persuade them that this is only the beginning of
aggressions on the part of the whites, and that the whole reservation
with all its improvements will be taken from them in the same way. I
think, therefore, that it would be an act of wisdom, as well as of
justice, for the government to make provisions at once for the
compensation of the Indians who have suffered loss in this transaction.
To do all this will require an appropriation of about ten thousand
dollars.
In conclusion, I would state that in my
opinion it would be well in order to quiet the apprehensions of the
Indians and dispel their fears as to the future, for the government to
make a treaty with those tribes that have not yet been treated with,
and to make this a permanent reservation. This would give great
encouragement to the Indians, and would induce them to labor more
earnestly and industriously for the improvement of the land, since they
would then regard this as their permanent home. I am decidedly of the
opinion that there is no other place on the Pacific coast so thoroughly
adapted for an Indian settlement and at the same time so little fitted
for the use of whites as the Siletz Reservation.
That portion of the reservation which is
suitable for cultivation is situated some twelve miles from the coast,
and is surrounded on all sides by high mountains which are filled with
elk, deer and other game, while the streams abound in fish of an
excellent quality. It is not a good grazing country, as there is no
grass on the hills and mountains, what there is being confined to the
bottoms and flats along the streams. The soil is fertile and well
adapted to growing vegetables of all kinds.
It also produces oats [well], and this
grain furnishes excellent food for the Indians; it is easily prepared,
and makes a bread which I think is far more healthful for the Indians
than the bread obtained from wheat. Wheat does not thrive here and has
proved almost an entire failure during the five years that I have had
charge of this agency. These and other peculiarities of the country
convince me that while it would be of little value to the whites, it
would furnish an excellent home for the Indians. I therefore earnestly
call your attention, and that of the Department, to this matter, and I
hope that it will receive careful consideration.

I am sir
Very respectfully
Your obt.
servant
Ben Simpson
U.S.
Indian Agt.

Sir,
I commenced my service as farmer on the
reservation on the 15th of November 1868.
The soil of the farm I found excellent
but overgrown with a tenacious turf, which after being turned by the
plow remains undecayed for almost a year. This makes the opening of
farms a slow and tedious process.
I have been engaged in farming since the
commencement of my service, whenever the weather would admit, and in
conjunction with the other employees have been able to accomplish a
great deal. In all my experience in laboring for the Indian service
previous to my coming to this reservation, I never knew so much
accomplished in so short a time by so few employees.
The Indians show considerable interest
in operations here, and many of them labor industriously.
All of which I very respectfully submit.

Your
obt. servant John
Gotbrod
U.S. Farmer

Hon.
L. Applegate
U.S.
Indian Sub-Agent.NARA Series M2, Microcopy
of Records of the
Oregon Superintendency of Indian Affairs 1848-1873, Reel 25; Letters
Received, 1868-1870, no number.

Grand
Ronde Agency July 31st
1868.

Sir,
In submitting this, my fourth annual
report, I deem it unnecessary and useless to reiterate
the recommendations made in my former reports, but would say that I am
still of the opinion of their necessity.
The condition of the Indians under my
charge has not changed materially since my last annual report; they are
still slowly improving in a knowledge of agriculture and taking more or
less interest in stock-raising and the improvement of their buildings
and farms, in which they are taking a considerable pride in trying to
make them look like the "whites," in which I have assisted them as far
as I have been able, believing in "helping those that try to help
themselves."
The conduct of the Indians during the
past year has been orderly, with but few exceptions, and no case of
whiskey-drinking has occurred in this agency for the past two years. In
this there has been a very great improvement, as it used to be an
almost universal thing for these Indians to drink upon every
opportunity, but the prosecution of some of the unprincipled persons
engaged in furnishing them liquor--which I have been able to do through
the Indians themselves--has had a good effect in putting a
stop to the nefarious practice.
The past winter was one of the most
severe that I have experienced during twenty-two years' residence in
Oregon, the snow covering the ground for about sixty consecutive days
to the average depth of one foot, and quite a number of the Indians'
horses and cattle died from starvation, and some of them feeding
almost the last bushel of wheat they had, but it is a lesson
they are profiting by, for the majority of them are now engaged in
cutting and putting up more hay than they have ever done before.
The severe cold froze out about all the
winter wheat that was sown last fall by both Indians
and Department--some 150 acres--in this we have been unlucky,
this being the second year now that the most of the winter wheat has
been killed, and it has almost discouraged the Indians from sowing fall
wheat, and would have done so entirely were it not [that] that which
lived is the best grain now growing on the agency. But as a
considerable portion of their land is very foul, I shall still continue
to have them summer fallow and sow as much grain in the fall as
possible.
I have had a few, as an experiment, sow
some wheat in June, and if it should prove a success I think the most
of it in future should be sown at that time, for it would then get such
a start as not to be liable to winter-kill.
Owing to the backwardness of the season
and the scarcity of seed, together with the poor condition of the
stock, a less breadth of ground was sown this spring than last, but
what was put in was in better order than usual, and I think the yield
will be considerable more per acre than common, as a considerable of it
is on new ground which has been broke and fenced by the Indians this
season.
The number of acres in cultivation this
year, and the estimated yield, is as follows

By Indians.

Wheat

485

A.

Estimated

Yield

6790

Bush.

Oats

535

"

"

"

8375

"

Potatoes

62

"

"

"

6200

"

Carrots &c.

15

"

"

"

1500

"

Peas

12

"

"

"

240

"

Onions

2

"

"

"

300

"

Cabbage

5

"

"

"

5000

Head

Timothy

65

"

"

"

1600

Ton

Wild Grass

100

"

"

"

200

"

Total number of acres in cultivation by
Indians 1,082.
The following is the number of acres in
cultivation by the Department, for seed, forage and subsistence of old
and destitute Indians

Wheat

35

A.

Estimated

Yield

700

Bush.

Oats

35

"

"

"

1400

"

Potatoes

2

"

"

"

400

"

Timothy

30

"

"

"

75

Ton

Total number of acres in cultivation
this year, 1,184.
At the early day that the reports from
this coast have to be made, it is a difficult matter to estimate the
amount the growing crops will yield, as was the case last year, the
wheat crop falling short of the estimate from two to three bushels per
acre on account of the extremely hot weather the latter part of the
season, which prevented the grain from filling well, which result was
not anticipated when making the estimate.
The hay crop is about all cut, both by
the Department and Indians, and will fully come up to the estimate, and
I think the balance of the crops this year will, if anything, exceed
the estimate, for they all look very well.
The severe cold during the forepart of
winter freezing out so much of the fall wheat, and the Indians feeding
out
all their oats to their stock during the snow, I found that it was
absolutely necessary that I should purchase seed for them in order that
they might raise a crop this year, which I did, paying for it out of
their annuity funds, and issued it to them together with what the
Department had on hand in sufficient quantity to raise enough
subsistence for themselves and stock for the coming winter.
During the high water last winter, which
was higher than had ever been known on this stream before, a channel
large enough to let the whole stream through was washed around the east
abutment of the dam. As soon as the water had subsided enough, I called
out all the Indians and at once put in a dam across the new channel,
the Indians working cheerfully, although it was very cold and the
ground
covered with snow, I only feeding their teams while engaged in hauling
logs, brush, rocks &c., and we had the mill again running the
4th of February.
The mills have cut during the last year 78,730 feet of lumber, and
ground 3,944 bushels of wheat.
In my report for 1867 I urged upon the
attention of the Department the necessity
of some provision being made
for the employment of a farmer and a blacksmith at this agency, and
gave my reasons then why it should be done. Whether it has been
recommended to Congress or not I am at present uninformed, as I have
not received the Hon. Commissioner's report for last year. But I
would respectfully say that some provision must be made--if it
has not
already been done--or it will be impossible to carry on this agency
successfully, and I hope the Department will give the matter a serious
consideration.
For details in regard to the sanitary
condition of these Indians, also to condition of schools, mills, shops
&c., I would respectfully refer you to the reports of the
several employees herewith enclosed.

Sir,
I respectfully submit the following as
my report for the limited period I have been acting as Supt. of Farming.
I entered upon the discharge of my
duties on the 1st inst., finding agricultural affairs in a prosperous
condition. My attention has almost entirely been turned towards the
breaking of prairie and the cultivation of the gardens. The crops look
well with the exception of the corn and potatoes, which were injured by
the frost some time ago, but which I think may entirely recover. The
grain is growing beautifully, and I confidently expect from it an
abundant yield. The work cattle are in good condition, and the laborers
employed in farm work are quite energetic and industrious.
From appearances enough ground can be
broken this season to admit of a sufficiency being planted next spring
to subsist the Indians.

Respectfully Your obt.
servant
Ivan D. Applegate
Supt. of
Farming

L. Applegate
U.S. Indian Sub-Agent.NARA Series M2, Microcopy
of Records of the
Oregon Superintendency of Indian Affairs 1848-1873, Reel 25; Letters
Received, 1868-1870, no number.

Klamath
Indian Agency July 31st
1868.

Sir,
Entering upon my duties as carpenter
only on the 1st inst., I am able to make but a meager report.
Mr. Duncan, my predecessor, was
appointed on February 1st 1868, but was able to accomplish but little
until April, owing to a continuance of very severe weather until that
time. Upon the breaking up of winter he was employed in making
shingles, and then in erecting temporary buildings for the convenience
of employees.
I am now busily engaged in erecting an
office, in pursuance of your instructions. I find the supply of tools
limited, and would respectfully suggest the purchase of a complete set
at an early day.

Very
respectfully Your obt.
servant
N. L. Lee
U.S.
Carpenter.

Hon.
L. Applegate
U.S.
Indian Sub-Agent.NARA Series M2, Microcopy
of Records of the
Oregon Superintendency of Indian Affairs 1848-1873, Reel 25; Letters
Received, 1868-1870, no number.

Klamath
Agency Oregon July 31st
1868.

Sir,
In pursuance of your instructions I
respectfully submit the following report for the period I have been
acting as wagon & plow maker.
I entered upon the discharge of my duty
on May 1st 1868. The wagons I found in good running order, and although
continually employed since that time they have required little labor to
keep them in order. All the plows at the agency have been stocked,
several of them since the commencement of my service.
As there is no timber in this vicinity
suitable for plow stocks, ax helves &c., I would suggest the
getting up from the vicinity of Link River of a good supply of oak,
which is plentiful there, and of good quality.

Very respectfully
Your obt. servant
A. Secord
Wagon & Plow Maker

Hon. L. Applegate
U.S. Indian Sub-Agent.NARA Series M2, Microcopy
of Records of the
Oregon Superintendency of Indian Affairs 1848-1873, Reel 25; Letters
Received, 1868-1870, no number.

Blacksmith
Shops, Klamath Agency July 31st
1868.

Sir,
I very respectfully submit my first
annual report as U.S. Blacksmith on the Klamath Reservation.
I entered on the discharge of my duties
on the 8th day of October 1867. I accompanied from that date an
expedition conveying annuity goods from the Dalles to this agency, the
same being under the personal direction of Supt. Huntington. With this
train I was employed principally in shoeing horses and in repairing the
ironwork of wagons.
On arriving at this place on the 13th
day of November ensuing, I joined in the erection of a shop, after
which I commenced operations with the limited supply of material and
tools on hand in repairing plows and other
farming implements, shoeing horses, repairing firearms for the Indians,
fabricating tools for the shop, implements for the farm and
root-diggers for the Indians. And thus I have been employed in the shop
up to this date.
In order to facilitate work in the shop
and greatly enhance my usefulness, I would recommend the purchase of a
considerable amount of iron & steel.

Very respectfully
Your humble servt.
George
Northy Tucker
U.S. Blacksmith

Hon.
L. Applegate
U.S.
Indian Sub-Agent.NARA Series M2, Microcopy
of Records of the
Oregon Superintendency of Indian Affairs 1848-1873, Reel 25; Letters
Received, 1868-1870, no number.

Klamath
Indian Agency Oregon,
July 31st 1868.

Sir,
I entered upon the discharge of my duty
as a farmer under the Klamath Treaty on July 1st 1867. I had served a
previous term of one year on this reservation as farmer under the
appropriation for colonizing Indians and had become acquainted with the
capabilities of the soil and the peculiarities of the climate. After
receiving my appointment I labored zealously on the farm in
cultivating, then in gathering the harvest, after which I turned my
attention towards plowing until late in December, when the severity of
winter put an end to the cultivation of the soil until spring. During
the winter, when possible, I labored in conjunction with some of the
other employees in rail making.
In spring all energies were united in
putting in a crop. In this we succeeded well, putting in eighty acres
of grain and near fifty acres in corn, turnips, carrots, potatoes
&c. and as the crops are growing beautifully we have a
gratifying hope of gathering a rich harvest.

With
much respect Your obt.
servant
Saml. D. Whitmore
U.S.
Farmer

Hon.
L. Applegate
U.S.
Indian Sub-Agent.NARA Series M2, Microcopy
of Records of the
Oregon Superintendency of Indian Affairs 1848-1873, Reel 25; Letters
Received, 1868-1870, no number.

Office
Klamath Agency, Oregon. July 31st
1868.

Sir,
My 3rd annual report is herewith
submitted. The general condition of the tribes on this reservation has
been quite as favorable to progress and the
development of civilization during the last year as at any time since I
took charge of this agency in the autumn of 1865.
The commencement of operations under the
Klamath and Modoc treaty last fall, by which those Indians received
annuity goods and positive evidence of the government's
intention to deal justly by them, inspired them with confidence
and increased their zeal and industry. My extensive
acquaintance with Indian tribes has discovered to me but few of greater
promise than those now under my charge. Like other Indians, they have
their low and disgusting habits and mean dispositions, but their
necessities in providing subsistence in the past have required
activity, and consequently many of them are really industrious.
Provided with necessary implements of agriculture, comfortable
dwellings, schools for the education of the young in manual labor and
the useful sciences, ample provision being made for the promotion of
their sanitary condition, their progress I predict will be rapid and
permanent. In the infancy of operations under the treaty so
much time is required to inaugurate a complete system of operations
[that] the improvement is necessarily tedious and slow. Consequently it
is impossible at this time to report at this time much progress in
furtherance of the objects of the treaty.
The soil of the reservation suitable for
cultivation is covered with an immense turf which requires near a year
to become rotten, and the means of breaking prairie during the past
seasons having been limited, enough could not be raised this year to
subsist the Indians, but I am quite confident that with the means now
furnished enough ground can be broken by winter to allow the planting
of a crop next season sufficient to feed
all the Indians on the reservation. The sawmill not yet being erected,
no buildings suitable for hospital or school houses have been erected,
except some of rather a temporary nature, and physician and teachers
have only lately been appointed.
The Indians now in the reservation are
the Klamath and Yahooskin Snake tribes, and a division of the .Modoc
tribe, and a part of the Woll-pah-pe Snakes, treated with on August 12,
1865. The Modoc high chief and a number of his people contentedly
remain on the reservation, while another portion of his tribe, much
attached to their old country and influenced by low whites, remain off.
Military aid, considered essential in collecting them, has not yet been
furnished. For a more elaborate explanation of the condition of this
matter you are referred to my last three preceding monthly reports.
During the year I have exerted myself
towards the improvement of the moral condition of the Indians in this
charge, and am gratified to find my labors in that direction crowned
with much success. Gambling, always a fertile source of trouble, has
been checked, and quarrels and altercations are far less frequent than
formerly. A rigid enforcement of rules and regulations has, in fine,
secured a quiet state of things to that formerly existing on the
reservation, and the future is filled with bright prospects which will
be realized if the
civil and military authorities should work in unison for the promotion
of the designs of the government.
A vigorous prosecution of the aims of
the treaty will, during another year, find the plans of the government
established on a complete working basis, and enable the agent to make a
satisfactory report of the progress in agriculture and in the
improvement of the moral and sanitary condition of the Indians on this
reservation.
You are very respectfully referred to
the reports of employees accompanying this.

Very respectfully,
your obt. servant
L. Applegate
U.S.
Indian Sub-Agent

Hon.
J. W. Perit Huntington
Supt.
Indian Affairs
in Oregon.NARA Series M2, Microcopy
of Records of the
Oregon Superintendency of Indian Affairs 1848-1873, Reel 25; Letters
Received, 1868-1870, no number.

Office
Klamath Agency July 31st
1868.

Sir,
I have the honor to report as follows
for the present month. Order and quiet have reigned on the reservation
during the month. During the last two weeks the Indians have been
nearly all engaged in gathering wocus on the Klamath Marsh. When thus
engaged, their almost entire attention being given to their business,
difficulties between them are very rare.
Operations on the farm are vigorously
pursued. On the 1st inst. appointments were made as follows, to wit:
Wm. C. McKay, once Physician at Warm Springs, Physician; Norman L. Lee
of Albany, Linn Co., Oregon, Carpenter; Ivan D. Applegate, Supt of
Farming and O. C. Applegate, School Teacher. On this inst. the
following employees submitted their resignations, to wit, Sam D.
Whitmore, Farmer and A. Secord, Wagon & Plow Maker.
Capt. McGregor, having gone into the
Snake country on an expedition against the Snakes, asked permission to
take eight Klamaths with him as scouts, which was granted.

Hon.
J. W. Perit Huntington
Supt.
Indian Affairs
in Oregon.NARA Series M2, Microcopy
of Records of the
Oregon Superintendency of Indian Affairs 1848-1873, Reel 25; Letters
Received, 1868-1870, no number.

As the crops are not
yet
harvested I can but give an estimate of the yield, judging from the
present prospects. The crops raised by the different tribes I shall
divide equally when harvested and let them take care of it.
Oats and hay raised by government I take
charge of and feed to Department animals &c."Statistical Return of Farming
&c. at the Alsea Indian Sub-Agency 1868," NARA Series M2, Microcopy
of Records of the
Oregon Superintendency of Indian Affairs 1848-1873, Reel 25; Letters
Received, 1868-1870, no number.

Alseas
Indn. Sub-Agency Ogn. August 6th
1868.

Sir
I have the honor to submit my monthly
report pertaining to the Indians in the Alsea Indian Sub-Agency Oregon
for the month of July 1868.
The four tribes under my charge are at
the present time very quiet and contented. During the month of July a
large portion of each tribe were engaged in either fishing or hunting,
while others were employed tending their crops and otherwise improving
their farms. The fine prospect which they have for large crops
encourages them greatly. It serves to make them peaceable and quiet and
more contented on the agency.
They are all the while improving in
civilization and express a great desire to live more like the whites.
Their supply of food at the present time
is by no means scanty. With the game and fish they catch, and by
exchanging skins and furs for flour &c., they manage to live
very comfortably during the warm season.
The past month has been unusually
healthy; scarcely any sickness has occurred. No births nor deaths have
marked a change in either of the tribes.
All of which is most respectfully
submitted.

Your
most obdt. servt. G. W.
Collins
U.S. Indn. Sub-Agent

To
Hon. J. W. Perit Huntington
Supt. of
Indian Affairs
Salem,
OregonNARA Series M2, Microcopy
of Records of the
Oregon Superintendency of Indian Affairs 1848-1873, Reel 25; Letters
Received, 1868-1870, no number.

Portland,
Oregon, Augt. 7 1868

Hon. J. W. P. Huntington
Superintend. of Indian Affairs
in Oregon
Hon Dear Sir,
You are
already well aware that I have a Catholic mission established with due
authorization among the Indians of the Grand Ronde Reservation of
Yamhill County since the year 1860, and that our mission has a chapel
and a priest giving religious instruction to the Indians every Sunday.
But I wish to do a little more for those poor Indians. By the present I
petition and respectfully beg the permission of establishing a school
on said reservation and to have a certain piece of ground of about ten
acres joining the a lot or including the lot where the Catholic church
is built. Having at heart the welfare of the Indians and
knowing your earnest and benevolent disposition for their moral and
spiritual improvement, I have no doubt that you will give my petition a
kind and favorable answer.

Sir,
August 1st. inst. I left this place for
Sprague River Valley to commence operations in that section of the
reservation and to secure if possible an interview with Snake Indians
lately hostile, but which I believed were disposed to come onto the
reservation, from the fact that since the surrender of the main
division of the Snake Nation to Gen. Crook signal fires have been seen
on the mountains surrounding Silver Lake, conveying an idea that the
Snakes inhabiting that part of the country desired a conference with
Snakes on the reservation.
I took with me two ox teams with wagons
containing plows, axes, camp equipage &c. and also several of
the white employees and fifteen Yahooskin and Woll-pah-pe Snakes as an
escort. On the second day from the agency I arrived at Council Bluffs,
where the treaty with [the] Woll-pah-pe Snakes was made on August 12th
1865. Here finding a suitable place, I commenced the erection of two
log houses and the breaking of prairie as a foundation for future
agricultural operations.
On my arrival I dispatched a number of
my Indians into the mountains to attempt to secure an interview with
the wild Snakes. After considerable maneuvering they were able to do
this, meeting, without arms on either side, ten Snake Indians on Silver
Lake. These Indians said they had heard of the surrender of the
northern bands, and being completely whipped themselves, had since the
end of winter been desiring an interview with some of my people. They
said that they, and also all the northern bands with which they had
held any communication, were anxious to come onto the Klamath
Reservation and receive the benefits of government clemency, of which
they are in need, being reduced to an aggravated state of destitution.
Two of them were brought to my camp, and in conference with them they
confirmed the above details and seemed overjoyed at a prospect of being
received on the reservation peaceably. They agreed to return, collect
their people, and come onto the reservation in ten days. That they will
do this I am convinced, also all the Indians here are of this opinion.
In the event of their coming some
provision, of course, will have to be made for them to keep them from
suffering during the coming winter, as the amount which the farms will
yield will be inadequate to the support of the Indians already here.
I hail this event as one of no little
consequence, giving assurance of the speedy doing away of danger from
Indians in the fine valleys east of this reservation.
I hope to be able to report the arrival
of the Indians at the appointed time.

Sir,
I write to represent that the
requirements of the Indian service demand the erection of a sawmill at
this agency at an early day.
The erection of granaries and buildings
for storage of other produce besides grain, hay sheds and the like,
made necessary by the success of farming operations, cannot be
conveniently carried out without lumber. Aside from these wants the
progress of operations under the treaty requires the erection at an
early day of school and hospital buildings, shops and comfortable
quarters.
This want of the service is growing more
aggravated daily, and I earnestly hope you will give such orders as
will enable me to commence putting up the mill immediately. Postponed
much longer winter may prevent the getting in of the material across
the mountains, or at least the completing of the mill in time to get
any benefit from it this season.
A common sash mill I think would answer
all required purposes and would require little time in building and
could be constructed with a moderate outlay of funds. I shall anxiously
await your reply.

Very
respectfully Your obt.
servant
L. Applegate
U.S.
Indian Sub-Agent

Sir,
As you are aware two Modocs were
arrested last fall for the alleged crime of furnishing the hostile
Snakes with arms and ammunition. The arrest was made by Klamath Indians
through my influence, but I was not at that time aware that one of the
Indians, the accessory, was an invalid and partially insane. After
remaining in confinement a short time, the principal prisoner escaped
and his brother, the invalid, has remained in confinement ever since,
and has almost entirely lost the use of his limbs. Humanity as well as
the best interests of the service demand his release, and I trust your
influence will be sufficient to effect that result.
His punishment has been sufficient to
deter others from committing the same crime, and then it should be
considered that the surrender of the Snakes leaves no further
opportunity for acts of that kind. If he can be released the Indians
would see in it an act of pure humanity and would be more contented and
less hard to manage than if this crazy Indian should be allowed to die
in confinement.

Very
respectfully Your obt.
servant
L. Applegate
U.S.
Indian Sub-Agent

Sir,
I would represent that I have been
obliged to employ a number of laborers on the farm and that for their
payment I have received no installment of funds for a long period. It
is absolutely necessary to have these hands in order to carry on
successfully on the farms, and I much regret the necessity of employing
in advance of funds being furnished.
One installment for presents,
subsistence &c. has been furnished this summer just sufficient
to satisfy the demand of Muller & Brentano. Farmer Gotbrod is
also paid out of these funds, of which there is none on hand. I hope
you will be able to furnish an installment of this fund soon.

Hon. Huntington Superintendt. of Indian
Affairs
Honorable & Dear Sir,
In the Grand Ronde Reservation there stands not far from our church an
old building which is out of use since several years (I think it is an
old school house) and is going into ruins. I think however it could be
repaired or at least the lumber could be used for a new building to be
erected. If in your kindness you could let us have it for our school, I
think it would save us some expenses & would be no material
loss to the agency. I think it could be fitted up for a dwelling house
for the sisters.

Sir
Application has been made by the Rt. Rev.
Archbishop
Blanchet of Oregon for the privilege of establishing a mission school
among the Indians on Grand Ronde Agency to be taught by one or more of
the "Sisters of
Charity."
You will afford the archbishop or his
authorized
agents such facilities as will enable them to carry out this purpose,
allot to them such a piece of land as will be enough for their use, and
mark the boundaries thereof by some permanent monuments. The land
should not exceed ten acres in extent, and if so large an allotment
will be a detriment to the interest of the Indians or of the government
it must be reduced to an extent compatible with the interests aforesaid.
Any lumber made at the sawmill which is
not needed
at the agency, or by the Indians, may be sold to the agent of the
archbishop at cost price.
Copies of the letters of Archbishop
Blanchet and of
Rev. Father Goins are herewith transmitted for your information.
Of your action in this case you will
make due report to this office.

Sir,
In my communication of August 8th inst.
in regard to my Sprague River expedition, In informed you of a council
with Woll-pah-pe Snake Indians relative to the remainder of that tribe
coming onto the reservation.
I am happy to be able to state that in
pursuance to their promise made at that time they have all come onto
the reservation. Their chiefs Chock-toot and En-kal-to-ik,
the former of whom was reported killed by troops from Fort Klamath last
summer, are with them. They have been reduced to great extremity,
having been hunted like wolves until they have eaten their last horses.
Not having had any ammunition for many months, they have been able to
get but little game, and their fear of the troops has kept them
confined to mountain fastnesses where it is impossible to dig roots or
gather wocus. They say they have long had a desire to get onto the
reservation, but fear of the troops prevented them. Beside their want
of provisions they are almost entirely naked, and if possible should be
supplied with some blankets and clothing before winter.

Operations
have been vigorously pursued on the farm. Until the 15th inst. the
plows were kept running, and since that time the hands have been
engaged in haying and harvesting. Being able to secure a mowing machine
for use from Mr. Nurse, the trader, without other expense than the
repairing of it, a large lot of hay amounting to near sixty tons has
been mowed and put up securely for winter.

The
Snake Indians.

On the
26th inst. the remainder of the Woll-pah-pe tribe of Snake Indians
arrived on the reservation in pursuance of the understanding arrived at
in council with them, the particulars in regard to which were reported
to you in a communication of the 8th inst. Paulina having been killed
since he left the reservation, this band of Snakes is now under the
control of two headmen named respectively Chock-toot and En-kal-to-ik.
Their condition is deplorable in the extreme. Having been for a long
time without ammunition and through fear of the troops who could make
no distinction off the reservation, having spent most of their time in
almost inaccessible places where no roots or seeds could be collected,
they have been compelled to subsist on their horses, of which they now
have none. They are almost naked also and unless they can receive the
benefit of a considerable sum spent to provide food and clothing for
them, they must suffer severely during the coming winter. For reasons
already indicated in previous communications it is not likely that
enough can be produced on the farm to subsist the Indians already here,
hence a supply of flour, at least twenty thousand pounds, should be
purchased to prevent the possibility of any of the Indians suffering
for want of food during the coming winter.
In regard to the commencement of farming
operations in Sprague River Valley you are very respectfully referred
to my communication of the 8th inst. detailing the particulars of my
Sprague River expedition.
Harmony and quiet have prevailed among
the Klamaths, Modocs and other Indians already on the reservation. As
soon as Capt. McGregor returns to Fort Klamath with his troops, an
effort will be made to collect and bring onto the reservation all
Indians that rightfully belong here.
The following appointments were made on
the 1st inst. to wit: P. W. Caris Teacher,
S. D. Whitmore Wagon & Plow-maker, and Orson A. Stearns Farmer.

Very respectfully
Your obt. servant
L.
Applegate
U.S. Indian Sub-Agent

Sir:
I have the honor to submit my monthly
report of the condition of Indians &c. in the Alsea Indn.
Sub-Agency for August 1868.
As no material change of affairs
pertaining to the Indians under my charge has taken place during the
month past, I would most respectfully refer you to my last month's
report for all necessary information concerning the Coos, Umpqua, Alsea
and Siuslaw Indians.
They are all quiet, and at present
contented. The hay and oat crops all secured, and the wheat about ripe
for harvest.
All of which is most respectfully
submitted.

Department
of the Interior Office of
Indian Affairs
Washington D.C. Sept. 26th 1868

Sir:
Your letter of the 20th July last,
submitting an estimate of funds required for the Indian service in
Oregon for the 3rd & 4th quarters 1868, has been received.
In reply I have to inform you that a
requisition has this day [been] issued for
the sum of $80,100.00 to be placed to your credit with the United
States Assistant Treasurer at San Francisco, California, for the proper
care and disposition of which you will be held accountable under your
bond.
The enclosed tabular statement will
acquaint you with the objects and purposes for which these funds are to
be applied, and the appropriations from which they are drawn.
I also enclose for your information a
copy of the late Indian appropriation act, embraced in War Department
General Order No. 74, by which you will perceive that most of the
appropriations for the present fiscal year for the various tribes in
Oregon fall short of the amount stipulated in the treaties under which
the appropriations were made. This will explain to you all matters of
difference between your estimate and the tabular statement of funds now
remitted. In connection with this subject I refer to my letter of the
24th inst. with a statement in detail of the deficiencies in the
appropriations.
An item of $6000.00, not embraced in
your estimate, is included in the amount of the present requisition.
The sum was appropriated by Congress during its last session for the
benefit of the Indians on the Siletz Reservation to compensate them for
losses sustained by reason of [the] executive proclamation taking from
them that portion of their reservation called Yaquina Bay, and is to be
applied to the purchase of agricultural implements, seeds, cattle, etc.
Your special attention is called to the
second section of the enclosed appropriation act, prescribing the
manner in which annuities of any character and goods purchased under
the provisions of said act are to be issued to the Indians. In all such
issues and distributions you will be guided accordingly.

Sir,
I have the honor to report as follows
for the present month. The Indians on the reservation have been quiet
and peaceable during the month. Most of them have been engaged in
gathering berries, seeds &c. for winter, also in hunting, and a
number of them are so engaged at present.
On the 15th inst. all Snake prisoners
held by the Klamaths and belonging to the Woll-pah-pe tribe of Snakes
were returned to their people, now on this reservation. The Woll-pah-pe
Snakes are preparing for winter, though unless provided with more than
I am able to give them with the means under my control, I think they
must suffer from a scarcity of provisions and clothing during the
coming winter.
The employees have been engaged during
the month in haying, harvesting and erecting buildings for the comfort
and convenience of persons on duty here.
For reasons already indicated in
previous communications I hope a large supply of flour will be
purchased for this agency in time to be received here before winter,
also that at an early day the Woll-pah-pe Snakes may receive annuity
goods in pursuance of the treaty made with them in 1865.

Sir
The excitement created among the
Indians, as well as the whites in the vicinity of this agency, by the
unfortunate killing of Indian Frank by a white man named Ballard, has
not yet abated, and I fear that the result will be more serious unless
there is something done to counteract it.
I would therefore most respectfully
request that you call upon the commanding officer of this department
for a detachment of soldiers to be placed at the mouth of Yaquina Bay
for the purpose of quieting the present
disturbance and of giving confidence and security to both Indians and
whites. I enclose with this a letter from Hon. R. A. Bensell,
a citizen of Yaquina Bay.

Sir,
I reply to your letter of this date in the matter of
the application of Superintendent Huntington of Oregon to visit
Washington, that, as no reason is assigned why Mr. Huntington desires
to visit this city, and as his presence here is not made necessary by
any exigency of the public service, he had better remain at his post of
official duty. His application for leave of absence is, therefore,
denied.

Very respectfully
O. H. Browning
Secretary

Hon. N. G. Taylor
Commr. of Indn. Affairs

NARA
Series M234 Letters
Received by
the Office of Indian Affairs 1824-81, Reel
615 Oregon Superintendency, 1866-1869, frames 669-676.

Oct.
24th 1868 Ten Mile
Creek Coos Co. Ogn.

Dear Sir I
am this far back on my
way to the agency with thirty-seven Indians that I have captured on
Coos River and in the vicinity of Coos Bay. We had to run three days
& nights without stopping much. During the time there were a
few
Coos Indians with fifteen Coquells fled to the mountains and scattered
so that it was impossible to follow them. I had one of my men arrested
for going into a man's house by the name of J. T. Jordan near Empire
City who has an Indian woman for his wife.
Carr is the man's name they arrested. He was informed that there was
Indian women concealed at this house or nearby in the brush; he went to
the house with his gun on his arm, and seeing several squaws in the
house he went inside of the door. Two of them started to leave the
room; he told them to stop; he wanted to talk with them. The oldest
one, the wife of the man Jordan, said she was a Boston man's wife. He
told her that he did not want her; he wanted none that was married to
white men. They bound him over for his appearance at the next term of
court. I will give you all the particulars when I arrive at the agency.

Sir
I returned to the agency on the 21st
inst. with
fourteen Indians, eleven men and three women, who escaped from the
reservation some two months ago. Those are the same Indians that were
arrested a short time since by my employees and escaped with irons on.
I found them in Yamhill County in and about the town of McMinnville. I
now have them confined in the guardhouse (or at least in the night)
working them in the daytime under the supervision of my employees.
I wish again most respectfully to call
your
attention to the immediate necessity for a small military force in the
vicinity of this agency. Owing to the limited means at my command I
have been compelled to discharge some of my employees which leaves my
force entirely too small to afford proper protection

Sir,
During the month quiet and harmony have prevailed among the Indians.
They have been industriously engaged in erecting winter houses
and otherwise preparing for winter. During the month the turnips and
other roots produced on the farms were mostly issued to the Indians,
and they have carefully housed them for the winter. The Yahooskin and
Woll-pah-pe Snakes on Sprague River are contented and preparing for the
cold season.
On the farms the newly broken ground has
been
harrowed with iron-toothed harrows, and will be in fine condition for a
spring crop.
A number of the employees have been
engaged in
erecting buildings for the convenience and comfort of employees, also
for the storage of supplies at the site of the new agency.
I hope that a large supply of
subsistence may yet be furnished for the Indians at this agency before
winter.

Very
respectfully Your obt.
servant
L. Applegate
U.S.
Indian Sub-Agent

Hon. J. W. Perit Huntington
Supt. of Indian Affairs in Oregon.NARA Series M2, Microcopy
of Records of the
Oregon Superintendency of Indian Affairs 1848-1873, Reel 25; Letters
Received, 1868-1870, no number.

Alsea
Indn. Sub-Agency October
31st 1868

Sir
I have the honor to submit my monthly
report of the
condition of Indians in the Alsea Indn. Sub-Agency for October 1868.
As no material change of affairs
pertaining to the
Indians under my charge has taken place during the past month I would
most respectfully refer you to my last monthly report for all necessary
information concerning the Coos, Umpqua, Alsea and Siuslaw Indians.
They are all quiet and contented at present.
All of which is most respectfully
submitted

Ivan D. Applegate
Sir
You are
this day appointed
commissary of subsistence for the hostile Snake Indians, your
appointment to begin with the hereof and continue until further notice.
Your compensation will be at the rate of one hundred ($100) dollars per
month payable quarterly.
Your duty will be to observe, take
charge of and
provide for the wants of the Snake Indians now encamped at Silver Lake,
Mishpishmash Creek (Sprague River Valley), Fort Warner, Fort Harney,
Horse Creek Mountain and other points not herein enumerated.
These Indians as you are aware have but
recently submitted to the control of the United States, and indeedhave
been persistent and determinedly hostile for a long time of years. They
are now professedly repentant, and their professions ought to be taken
with a belief in their sincerity, while that sincerity must be tempered
with a distrust engendered by their well-known treachery and by an
allowance for their ignorance, imbecility, intense destitution and
frantic fear that any act of whites toward them is an act of hostility.
Your duty is
1st. To instruct them that their
hostility to whites
must cease henceforth. If depredations on them by whites are
committed--whether as to person or property--they must make complaint
to the nearest military officer or to the nearest Indian agent and upon
each complaint sustained by competent evidence suitable redress will be
given.
2nd. They must report their number and
name as far
as practicable to you, and you are required to make returns thereof to
the Supt.'s office at Salem as fast as the facts are obtained by you.
Issues of food or any other articles from the Indian Department to them
will be made through you. You will take the receipt of the chiefs and
headmen therefor. Certify to the issue yourself, and if possible secure
the certificate of the nearest military officer commanding a post. If
no commanding officer can be present at the issue, then any commissary
officer in the service will be sufficient witness, and if no such
officer is present you will issue in the presence of such credible
white witnesses as are present--not less than two in number and then
credibility to be certified by yourself.
3rd. Such material as may be transferred
to you by
the Superintendent, the sub-agent in charge at Klamath or the
commanding officer at any military post, you will duly account for with
proper vouchers to be taken in triplicate and forwarded duly to the
Superintendent's office at Salem.
4th. You will make ample report of all
your
proceedings under these instructions as often as once each month and
more frequently if any emergency requires it.
5th. You are also required to make full
report of
all the proceedings of the Indian Dept., the military and of citizens
in your district which will give information concerning Indian affairs.
These instructions are only preliminary
and will be
followed by others more explicit and in detail. On the present you will
be guided by this letter and when it is deficient you will refer to the
laws of Congress, the regulations of the Indian Department and your own
common sense.

Five horses now in use of the Indian Department
at the
agency are worn out, crippled and worthless. They will consume much
valuable forage in the ensuing winter and be entirely useless. It would
profit this service if they be condemned and shot, and I recommend that
it be done.

Ivan D. Applegate
Supt. of Farming

Approved
L. Applegate
U.S.
Indian Sub-Agent

I have examined the above statement and
I have also
examined the horses referred to therein. They are worthless, hereby
ordered condemned, branded "C" and dropped from property returns. This
certificate to be an acquittal of Sub-Agent Applegate in charge.

Capt. McGregor
1st U.S. Cavalry
Klamath
If there is a surplus of iron in the
quartermaster's
department at Fort Klamath, you will do a favor to the Indian service
at this place in allowing the agent to borrow a small amount to be
returned in May or June next. Mr. Applegate will confer with you in
reference to the matter.
Such iron as you may turn over to him
you will take
his receipt for, and he will be notified to notify me of the amount and
kind.

Sir
I need the services of Dr. Wm. C. McKay,
physician at
Klamath Agency, to assist me in my intercourse with the Snake Indians
in my present expedition.
You are instructed therefore to detail
him upon such
services to report to me. When we have passed through the Snake Indian
country he will be directed to return to his ordinary duty at the
agency.

Lindsay Applegate
U.S. Indian Sub-Agent
KlamathNARA Series M2, Microcopy of Records of the
Oregon Superintendency of Indian Affairs 1848-1873, Reel 10; Letter
Books I:10, page 250.

Klamath Indian
Agency
Novr. 27, 1868

Capt. Thos. McGregor
1st U.S. Cavalry
Commdg.
Fort Klamath
I arrested an Indian tonight who calls himself
"Dick." He
has been here about six weeks carefully concealed. He claims to have
lived at Oregon City sixteen years and to having left there three
months ago coming by way of Warm Springs Agency. I know that he was not
at Warm Springs at all, and his stories are generally so contradictory
that I attach no importance to them.
I suspect him to be the Indian reported
in the newspapers as "Peter," "Susin"
&c., having been concerned in some affrays at East Portland and
Oregon City and afterwards arrested by the civil authorities for Oregon
[City], from whom he escaped. I have this
day communicated with the civil authorities of Clackamas County and
request you to detain the Indian in irons until the agent here can hear
from them.

To the
Mayor of Oregon City
I
found here today an
Indian who calls himself "Dick," who has been hiding in the mountains
hereabout. Other Indians report him an escaped criminal. I have caused
him to be arrested and detailed until we can hear from you.
Please give any information you can through the mail to Lindsay
Applegate, U.S. Indian Sub-Agent, Klamath per military express via
Jacksonville.

Description of the Indian

Medium height, stout, broad face, very
dark complexion, has a prominent scar on the chin.
He has a pass signed by F. O.McClosky without date. It
is much worn and was probably written long ago. He has a pass given to
"Indian" "Susin" signed by E. B. Fellows dated June 30, 1867, in which
Mr. Fellows that he has paid "Susin" $40 and 3 strings of beads. This
Indian called himself Susin when he came first here.

Sir
Oregon City "Dick" will be kept in confinement
with suitable irons until further notice.
Food will be furnished him enough to
supply his needs.

J. W. Perit
Huntington
Supt. Indian Affairs in Ogn.

Lindsay Applegate
U.S. Indian Sub-Agent
in OregonNARA Series M2, Microcopy of Records of the
Oregon Superintendency of Indian Affairs 1848-1873, Reel 10; Letter
Books I:10, page 251.

Klamath
Indian Agency Oregon
Nov. 27th 1868.

Sir,
This day A. J. Brown was appointed
Temporary
Assistant Farmer, salary seven hundred dollars per annum. Also to have
a subsistence allowance of seventy-five cents per day during the whole
period of his service.

Sir,
Little has occurred during the month
worthy of
report. As usual some disputes and misunderstandings, however of an
insignificant character, have occurred among the Indians, which have
been satisfactorily settled.
The Indians have about completed their
winter
houses, and have otherwise made their preparations for winter. The
advice and encouragement given to them after your arrival on the 20th
instant were productive of much good, and the provisions made for their
subsistence during the coming winter, in procuring for them a
sufficient supply of flour and beef, has given them new confidence in
the government and has encouraged and gratified them much.
No trouble need be apprehended in
improving the
condition of the Indians on the reservation, if the government does not
delay too long its duty in carrying out treaty stipulations.
The employees have been engaged in
erecting and
completing comfortable buildings here, or have otherwise been laboring
for the good being of the service.

Very
respectfully Your obt.
servant
L. Applegate
U.S.
Indian Sub-Agent

Sir:--
I have the honor to submit my monthly
report of the
condition of Indians at the Alsea Indn. Sub-Agency for the month of
November 1868.
The Indians under my charge are in a
prospering
condition. Their general health is good, and peace and quiet reigns
through all the tribes under my control.
Those that were lately returned to the
reservation
have apparently gone to work in good faith and are building for
themselves good and comfortable dwellings and appear satisfied now to
remain on the reserve.
They all have a plenty of potatoes,
wheat and dried fish to subsist on during the winter.
All of which is most respectfully
submitted by your obdt. servt.

Hon. N. G. Taylor Comr.
Indian Affairs
Dear Sir,
Mr. B. Simpson, agent upon Siletz Reservation, desires to visit
Washington in connection with matters pertaining to the Indians upon
the reservation under his charge. Mr. S. is one of the best agents upon
the coast; he can give us much valuable information connected with our
Indian affairs in that state. I would respectfully ask that he be
ordered to Washington this coming month in order to have him reach here
during the month of January. It will be necessary to order him to
Washington at once. I learn that dissatisfaction exists amongst the
Indians upon the reservation under his charge. I desire his presence to
give information to our Indian committee with respect to deficiency in
the appropriations last session, which are very necessary to be passed
this [session].

Yours respy. H. W. Corbett

I concur.
Geo. H. Williams

NARA
Series M234 Letters
Received by
the Office of Indian Affairs 1824-81, Reel
615 Oregon Superintendency, 1866-1869, frames 633-636.

Oregon
City, Dec. 14, 1868.

Dear Sir:--
Your note addressed to the mayor of
Oregon City, in
my care, has been examined by me and I am enabled, upon inquiry, to
give you the information you desire. Indian "Dick" was formerly a
resident of this place. But sometime last winter or spring he got into
a drunken row and cut up another Indian by the name of
"Oregon"
pretty badly. "Dick" left, and probably thinks that he killed "Oregon,"
but the fact is that "Oregon" recovered, and is now in the
neighborhood, or was not long since.
"Oregon" is a Klamath Indian, who has
been about
here ever since he was a small boy. I do not know to what tribe Dick
belongs.

J. W. Perit Huntington
Supt. Indian Affairs in Oregon
Sir:
In accordance
with instructions I have the honor to submit the following report:
On receiving my appointment on the 18th
day of
November last, I immediately set about collecting information in regard
to the Snake Indians, lately hostile, with a view towards providing
subsistence for them during the coming winter, and ascertaining their
feelings towards the whites.
On the 25th of November as you are aware
I left Fort
Klamath for Camp Warner and arrived there in due season, found at that
place a hundred Snake Indians of all ages and sexes.
By counciling with them they were found
disposed to
be peaceable, and as they are quite needy and destitute in consequence
of their late surrender, having previously been driven from place to
place.
They are confidently expecting aid from
their captors.
On Oshitish-en-wax Creek on the eastern
line of the
Klamath Reservation, there are near a hundred Snakes who lately came in
who show a disposition to remain peaceable; all express an ardent
desire to be permanently settled on the Klamath Reservation.
They too are almost destitute but
express confidence
that they will be provided for by the government considering that they
are determined ever hereafter to remain peaceable.
As far as I have yet been able to
ascertain I am
able to express an opinion that if subsisted and treated in good faith,
the Snake Indians will remain friendly and any farther shedding of
blood by them will be averted.
I shall exert myself in fulfilling the
instructions given me to the best of my ability.

Sir,
I have the honor to report as follows
for this
month. Much satisfaction seems to exist among the Indians, principally
occasioned I think by the progress of operations here, and the
provisions made for winter subsistence.
Some misdemeanors have been committed by
the Indians among themselves as usual. In any every case of any
consequence, however; the most stringent measures have been taken and
summary punishment has been inflicted.
About the 24th inst. information came
that the
smallpox had made its appearance in Jacksonville, when I immediately
assembled the Indians, explained the horrors of the malady and
instituted measures to prevent the introduction onto this reservation,
where encouraged by the condition and habits of the Indians it would
sweep almost everything before it.
The Indians are as comfortably situated
for the
winter as their circumstances will admit of and at the agency the
quarters lately prepared for the employees are quite commodious and
comfortable.

Hon. J. W. Perit Huntington
Supt. of Indian Affairs
in Oregon.NARA Series M2, Microcopy
of Records of the
Oregon Superintendency of Indian Affairs 1848-1873, Reel 25; Letters
Received, 1868-1870, no number.